Tides of Destiny
by WarriorofRedemption
Summary: Destiny brought them together. Will it tear them apart too?
1. Chapter 1

**[AN] I know the summary is somewhat... lacking but personally I don't like summaries. I find that they have a tendency to spoil the story. This fic is pretty simple, you really don't need a huge summary to understand it. This is my first real fic so I hope you'll read and enjoy it!**

**-Crow :]**

"Get up! Rise and shine!" An all too familiar voice destroyed the peaceful quiet below the decks of the Aoi Doragon.

There was warm sun hitting his face through the planks in the ship. It promised a day of nice weather. That almost made waking up a welcome occurence. Almost. The sleeping man cracked open his dark crimson eyes to see Jounochi's always enthusiastic face only inches from his own.

"Ah!" The sleeper exclaimed, unable to hold back his surprise. He almost fell from the hammock he had been sleeping in.

"Good." Jou greeted with a smile, "You are awake Yami. _Seto_ wants us up on deck. You can help me wake the others." Yami rolled his eyes at the mention of their shipmates.

Jou took a step back and Yami nimbly jumped from his hammock, careful not to hit the one hanging below him, which currently contained a very tempermental and cranky albino. His best friend.

Yami placed a hand on Bakura's shoulder and shook him lightly. The white haired man groaned loudly.

"Come on! Five more minutes!" he groaned and rolled over, avoiding Yami's gaze.

"Bakura I am not your mother." Yami said patiently.

"Oh really 'cause you sure look like her!" Bakura snapped back.

Yami sighed, "If you get up now you can help me wake Marik and Malik.."

Bakura sat up straight instantly at the mention of his favorite prank victim, Marik. "Why didn't you say so earlier? You know that's the best part of my day." Bakura smiled evily.

Jou facepalmed. "Well at least he's awake. I'm going to wait above deck and out of the attack range of... you know who." the stairs to the above deck of the ship creaked as the blonde exited.

Bakura stood up and rubbed his hands together devilishly. He tiptoed over to where Marik and Malik were sharing a hammock. As if they would wake up if he stomped his feet... They had slept through hurricanes before.

Bakura gripped the edge of the hammock and unceremoniously dumped it over onto the floor. Then he quickly stepped back-

-just quickly enough to avoid Marik's flailing limbs which came inches to taking Malik's head off. The two rolled around awkwardly on the floor for a moment while Yami tried to hold in his laughter. After he recovered from the shock, Marik directed an angry glare towards Bakura which was happily returned.

Malik broke the staring contest "Seriously guys?" he yawned loudly, "Why do I have to suffer because you want to torture _him_?" Marik looked at him indignantly but said nothing.

Bakura was about to add his opinion to the conversation but Yami cut him off.

"The Captain's got an announcement. We're supposed to be up on deck."

Marik tried to continue his angry pouting but eventually he started laughing. Malik and Yami joined in and Bakura smiled. Yami and Bakura offered the two a hand and helped them up. They all went above deck.

A beautiful Caribbean sun warmed Yami's features as he left the dark interior of the ship. For a moment everyone was silent and the only sounds heard were the flapping of their skull and cross bone's flag and the squaking of some sea gulls in the distance. _Oh a pirate's life is definitely for me... _Yami thought happily as a warm breeze blew his bangs from his face. Not like he knew any other life. He had been part of the crew of this ship since he was sixteen. He ran away from his family for reasons he didn't talk about. That was seven years ago.

_No regrets. _He thought. All around them crystal clear water shone with the light of the sun. Though Yami was surprised to see a spec of land in the distance. They weren't due to make port for a few days. They must just be passing it by. Jou walked over and joined them.

"Looks like no one was fatally injured this morning!" he joked, "Seto should be out any minute now."

"Men at attention!" they heard a voice as if on cue. Captain Seto emerged from his quarters from underneath the helm of the ship.

The five quickly got into a line. All of them went into a salute, well except for Jou that is. He stood with his arms crossed disobidiently across his chest. Jou never really listened to what the Captain said. Calling him Seto was just the starting point. The Captain hated his first name and no one called him by it...

except for Jou.

Yami had oftened wondered why the Captain was so... forgiving towards Jou's insubordination. He had eventually come to the conclusion that the Captain simply didn't want to lose a ship-mate. The crew they had was already small and Jou _was _a good worker... when he wanted to be.

The Captain walked up and down the line of pirates, gazing at them each with his ice-blue eyes. He stopped in the middle and turned to face them. He was a good six inches taller than all of them, other than Jou who was still slightly shorter than him.

"Well, as you all know our last heist was a great success." Marik cheered at his words. The Captain waited for him to quiet, "You are at attention Marik. That means you do not speak or move until I say otherwise." he said cooly with slitted eyes.

Yami glanced at the other pirates in the line out of the corner of his eye. Marik had his free hand on Malik's butt and Malik was returning the favor. Yami noticed Bakura flipping the Captain off behind his back and Jou... well he was still being Jou. Of the five Yami was the only one correctly standing at attention. He sighed inwardly.

"Anyway," the Captain continued, "If my calculations with the star charts are correct, and they always are, we will be at our next port of call, Tortuga, in about three days." At this everyone cheered. The Captain didn't scold them this time. Tortuga meant safety and parties. Well safety so long as you could handle the parties. And Yami knew he could handle the parties. "Alright you scallywags, thats all. Go to your stations. Jou don't forget you're supposed to swab the deck to make up for your comments last night." he fixed his icy blue gaze on the blonde challengingly.

"Can I add some comments now and swab them for two days?" Jou replied sarcastically.

"I'd prefer if you at least gave it a day or so in between so they can get dirty again."

"Fair enough." Jou said as he went below deck to get a mop.

Marik and Malik went to go check the sails and the Captain went back to his quarters. Bakura decided to try cannon target practice on seagulls.

_My family... Almost perfect... _Yami thought to himself. He couldn't hold back his smile. _Almost..._

Later that night, Yami and Bakura were playing a game of rummy below deck and Marik and Malik were engaging in their usual night time activities. Luckily the ability to mute the two had come with time as Yami had lived with them. Sort of. He took a swig from his rum and drew a card. He laid down a discard from his hand and sighed.

"You're quiet tonight" Bakura observed, "Anything on your mind?"

Yami locked eyes with his best friend. He pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the two love-making Egyptians.

"Really?" Bakura asked "I thought you could tolerate that by now. I mean they've been together ever since they joined the crew."

"It's not that." Yami muttered. The light from the lantern they were using shadowed his features.

"Then what- Oh no..." Bakura looked at him scrutinizingly, "Don't tell me, you're getting soft?"

Yami thought for a moment but the only response he gave was, "You know me better than anyone Bakura."

"Yami Atemu!" Bakura exclaimed, "You have countless women, and men for that matter, lining up to sleep with you whenever we make port and yet..."

"Something's missing." Yami finished for him. He threw back the last of his rum.

"This is wrong." Bakura said, "Not natural. You're probably just sick or something." Bakura laid down a discard and smiled noticeably. Bakura had never had a good poker face.

Yami shook his head. He then took all of the cards from the pile and laid down his whole hand. He played 8 tricks in total and Bakura hadn't laid down one yet. In laymen's terms, Yami just kicked his ass. Bakura stared at the cards in disbelief. Yami stood up from the table and went over to the supply closet.

Bakura stood to follow him. "Hey I wasn't done with our conversation!" he said as Yami stalked away.

"Well I am." Yami said then he pulled another bottle of rum from the closet and went above deck. Bakura followed him. He sat down where he had a good view of the stars and the ocean. Both were beautiful tonight.

"Yami." Bakura said sitting down next to him. "Brooding is not a pretty color on you."

"Tch... It was just some gossip I told you to disctract you from the game." Yami said unconvincingly. "You love gossip as much as a teenage girl."

Bakura rested a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "'Don't you think you'll know when you find the person you're really destined to be with? Besides you could kick my ass at any game you wanted without distracting me." He said.

"I suppose you're right... And I know you're right about me kicking your ass! You never stand a chance!" Yami gloated.

"Off topic..." Bakura reminded.

"You started it. But... thank you. Some day I will find my true love. I just hope she loves the sea as much as I do. And you know, I bet there's someone out there for you too." Yami suggested.

"Maybe..." Bakura said as he gazed at the stars. "But you know, it is bad luck to bring a woman aboard a ship."

**[AN] The boat's name, Aoi Doragon, is supposed to mean 'Blue dragon' (I wonder who named it? :P) but I used google translator so you can be aproximately 93.7% sure that it is **_**wrong. **_***Sucks at foriegn languages***


	2. Chapter 2

_A calm beach..._

_Pure white sand and clear blue water..._

_Yami clenched and unclenched his toes and felt the warm grains slip over his feet. _

_He approached the water but when he looked down at his reflection something surprised him. The face staring back at him from the water was not his own. The eyes and face were more round and the eyes a light purple. Like shiny jewels, treasure. Yami loved treasure. Although there were some similarities between them, the star-shaped tri-color hair being the most obvious one._

_He raised his hand to his face and was even more shocked to see his reflection didn't follow suit. Instead the smile on the other's face grew and he raised one of his hands to wave at Yami._

_Yami reached forward to touch the water but just as he was about to break the crystal clear surface, the ground below him began to shake. The rocking was unmerciful. _An earthquake? _he thought. _No, the movements created by earthquakes were much more random and unpredictable. Then what? _As the shaking intensified Yami had to fight to remain standing. _

_BANG! _

A loud clap of thunder awoke Yami from his dreams. He sat up in his hammock just in time to be dumped onto the floor from the rocking of the boat.

"Yami!" he heard someone yell from above deck, "Help us!" Jou maybe? Yami looked around. He was the only one still below deck. Everyone else was nowhere to be found.

He quickly ran above deck to find the person who had called for him and was greeted by a scene of total chaos.

Rain pelted his face as galestrom force winds whipped his hair into his eyes. The boat continued it's relentless rocking as twenty to thirty foot waves crashed onto the side.

The captain was at the helm attempting to hold as much control over the ship as he could. Bakura and Jou tugged uselessly at the sail ropes trying to steer them out of the wind. Marik and Malik were crouched together in a corner praying to whatever otherwordly being they worshipped. A bright flash of lightning lit up their faces long enough for Yami to see the looks in their eyes. Yami had never seen such a horrified look on Marik's face before.

And Yami understood why. Seven years on this ship and he had never seen a storm like this one.

Yami noticed Bakura struggling with his line and went over to help. Bakura turned to face him, a look of maddened determination ran through his eyes. Yami nodded and the two worked the rope together.

"Marik! Malik! We need your help NOW Damnit!" The Captain belowed. This knocked them out of their stupor. Marik and Malik exchanged a look of love before going to help Jou with his line.

For a moment it seemed as if they were going to regain control of the vessel. But Yami should have known better. Whenever man and nature squared off nature was always the victor. This storm was taking them wherever mother nature pleased and there was little the six men could do to stop it.

"Bakura look out!" Someone called out. Yami saw that the cannons had become untied and one was barreling towards him. He reacted quickly and shoved Bakura out of the way but he couldn't move fast enough to save himself. It crashed into him and knocked him down...

Over

the side

of the boat.

And he fell into darkness.

_Ow my head... And my chest too._ Yami thought. He opened his dark red eyes and looked around. He was in a small tent of some sort lying on a few blankets. It was probably around midday judging from the harsh sun that was peeking in through the tent doorway.

"Yami." Bakura said. Yami hadn't noticed him sitting beside his makeshift bed. "You're awake."

"Yea why wouldn't I b-" He stopped himself. _The storm... Last night... Was it just last night? It feels like I could have been out for days... _Yami thought. He remembered the cannon rushing towards him. Falling into the angry water... Then darkness.

"I take it you remember now?" Bakura broke into his thoughts.

"Yea but wh-what happened after?" Yami said. He sat up only to get another sharp pain from his chest. He noticed it was bandaged. _One... two... three broken ribs. _Yami thought, he could feel them sliding against each other. _Ow._

"That crazy son of a bitch saved you!" Marik interjected from the other side of the tent.

"What?" Yami said shocked, "Bakura you could've gotten yourself killed!"

"Good to know my efforts are appreciated." Bakura said. Yami looked at him seriously.

"Thank you Bakura, you saved my life." _Again... _Yami thought. _Just like that day so long ago..._

"I was just returning your favor. That cannon was coming for me." The white haired man smiled one of his rare smiles.

"I ran to get a life ring as soon as I saw you go over," Malik said, "But Bakura realized you were unconcious and jumped in after you. He grabbed you before you started sinking then we all pulled you two up."

"Soon after the boat was pulled into a rocky reef inside of a bay. We all abandoned ship and swam to shore out of fear that the whole damn boat would sink." Marik explained. "That puts us where we are now. Jou and the Captain went to go observe the damage to the ship and we stayed here to keep an eye on you, sleeping beauty."

_So I haven't been out long. _Yami thought._ That's good. _He wanted to be the best help he could be to his shipmates.

"Hey you bildrats! Get out here, we have a situation report!" Yami recognized the captain's voice. The four of them exited the tent and Yami surveyed his surroundings, it was how the others had said. He was on a beach in a bay. In the distance he could the the Aoi Doragon caught on some rocks. Luckily it was still in one piece, though Yami could see some severe hull damage from where he was standing, probably about a half mile away.

"Yami you're okay!" Jou exclaimed. He ran over and caught Yami in a big bearhug. Yami flinched from the pain in his ribs.

"Ow Jou! It's nice to see you too but please stop!" Jou released him.

"Sorry man, I was just worried about you thats all." Jou said apologetically. Yami smiled kindly at him. "Look Seto! Yami is alright." Jou said happily.

"I can see that with my own eyes you sea-dog." The Captain bit back to him. He looked over to Yami and nodded approvingly for his wellbeing.

"I thought I told you not to call me a DOG Seto!" Jou shouted at him and everyone started laughing.

The Captain crossed his arms arrogantly over his chest and replied, "I won't even get on the subject of name calling with you."

"Guys?" Bakura interrupted, "The ship?"

"Is not exactly sea worthy." The Captain replied. "Get comfortable, 'cause we're gonna be here for at least two weeks."

"Luckily the supplies-" Jou started.

"I can give a report by myself thank you." The Captain said. Jou fumed but he continued on. "Luckily the supplies were untouched and we should have enough to last for the repair time and then the rest of the ride to Tortuga if we can salvage some off this island." Everyone seemed to let out a collective breath at that. "I checked the star charts and from my calculations we are on a small island to the East of Tortuga. Once the ship is sea-worthy again we should reach port in only about a day's sail. But for now I need you all to work your hardest on repairs," He looked at Jou, "so we can get going as soon as possible."

"Alright what do you want us to do?" Malik asked.

"Jou, Bakura and I will head back to the ship and begin the repairs. Marik and Malik should head inland to find trees that will make suitable wood for the hull. We're going to need it. Remember if you go inland further the wood will be stronger." The Captain instructed.

"What about me?" Yami questioned. 

"I want you collecting supplies. Nothing too strenuous. We need those ribs to heal properly." The Captain said. It almost sounded compassionate. Almost.

"But-" Yami began to argue but the Captain fixed him with a steely glare. He knew Yami never went against orders.


	3. Chapter 3

"Collect supplies," Yami muttered angrily to himself, "What a waste of time."

He had traveled to the other side of the island in his search for _something_ useful. It hadn't taken him long. It was a small island. The interior was very muggy and overgrown so Yami had decided to search the beach on the other side of the island for coconuts. He was in luck, this beach was dotted with several palm trees.

The sun was beginning to set as he walked down the beach. Rays of yellow were becoming orange as the sun neared the horizon.

"I feel bad for Marik and Malik," he thought aloud, "Stuck in that humid jungle, I should be helping them. I'm fine to work." He tried to bend down to pick up a coconut that had fallen from a tree but ended up doubled over in pain. He clutched his chest and said a few choice words. "Okay maybe not." he acknowledged. He slowly got to his feet and sighed. "I'll get the coconuts later."

A natural outcrop of rock jutted out into the water on one side of the beach. He eased himself down to rest at the end of it. The water around the outcrop was deep enough for him to dangle his legs in it. It cooled his flesh and washed away all of the dirt and sweat he had collected treking through the jungle. He watched as the last rays of sun dipped below the waves. Then he began to sing. A song he often dreamt of singing to someone special one day.

"Promise me to think of us," His voice drited softly through his lips. "as a time so beautiful. Promise to think of us," his eyes fell shut as he continued to sing. "still bright still colorful. Promise me to look back at us, as a time in your life you enjoyed..."

At the end of the chorus he opened his eyes and jumped back at what he saw. A young man, probably only a year or two younger than himself was sitting at the edge of his rock watching him. Yami was slightly embarassed, he never sang in front of people.

"Who are you?" he exclaimed loudly. At this the other man jumped back surprised. _He certainly looks familiar, _Yami thought, _And not just because he looks so much like me... I've got it! He looks like the one I saw in that dream! The other me..._

The other said nothing, only swam back to the rock and looked at Yami with those curious, amethyst eyes. The moon, which was full tonight, laid dappled shadows on the young one's pale skin. It made him appear angelic, but Yami couldn't help but wonder why God would give up such a special creature. He watched as the other rested his head cutely on his hands and looked at Yami expectantly.

"What, what is it?" Yami tried to break their eye contact but the exotic purple orbs wouldn't leave his crimson ones. "Do you want me to sing again?" His other looked at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "Look this isn't a concert-" he began but he noticed the smile on the face of the other begin to droop. A frown did not seem right on this face, so he gave in. "Ok, fine, but I'm not really a good singer..."

He began again, but chose a different song, "You remember me, you remember us. It was magical when I felt your _touch._" Yami looked over to the other. He was encouraged to see that his pretty smile had returned. He continued. "It's a strong memory still today. It felt so good with your body close, but those days are gone. Time flies away. But it's what I'm dreaming of still today..." they sat for a moment just observing one another.

"Yami? Yami are you here?" Bakura's voice broke apart the silence. His friend must have come looking for him.

He turned back to the other man but he was about to swim away. "Wait! What's your name?" Yami tried to grab his wrist before he could get away, but when he made contact with the other's skin his fingers went _through _his arm. It felt like touching water. Yami watched in disbelief as the other dove under the dark water. He was gone just as quickly as he had appeared.

"Yami!" Bakura said coming up behind him. "Have you been here all evening?"

"No! I well- I-I suppose I have." He stutured.

"Cat got your tongue?" Bakura asked.

"No you just took me by surprise that's all!" Yami said a little too quickly.

"Well if you say so." Bakura said. He didn't really look convinced. "Let's get back to camp."

"Uh... Bakura can I ask you something?" Yami wouldn't meet his gaze. Bakura waited quietly. "Uh, would you help me up?"

"The great Yami Atemu asking for help! This must be painful for you!" Bakura smiled playfully and held out a hand. Yami took it gratefully.

"Yea but not nearly as painful as the broken ribs!" Yami said. _I can't tell him about it... At least not yet._ "Bakura, there's something else."

"What?"

"Can you help me pick up those damn coconuts?"

Two days later, Yami was rowing a dingy from the beach to the ship carrying wood for the others to use in the repairs. Whether he was healing or had just become accustomed to the pain, It was already becoming much easier for him to help out. This was a good job for him too, because it allowed him to rest his midsection, for the most part.

_Maybe I don't hurt as much anymore because I'm so damn distracted. _Yami thought. _I can't get that face out of my head. Those powerful eyes... It seemed so real..._

His boat came to rest on the beach. He stepped out and looked around. Everything seemed to be in good shape. Supplies were holding. The guys had enough wood to keep working for the rest of the night.

_Maybe I could go for a swim... No! It's just an excuse to go back to that beach and look for _him_. _Yami had spent the last two days trying to convince himself what he had seen had been an illusion. That he had just been hallucinating from the pain of his injuries. _Besides, the crew needs me right now. I can't go off chasing mirages when theres work to be done! _He looked around the campsite again. Supplies were still good. They still had plenty of wood in stock. Nothing had changed in the thirty seconds he'd been standing there. There was still nothing he could do to help out.

_I suppose a swim couldn't hurt... And it'll give me a chance to put these damn illusions to rest!_

**[AN] the first song in this chapter was Promise Me- Dead by April. The second was Within My Heart- Dead by April.**


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Yami reached the beach the sun had set once again. The moon was still full for the most part and it provided good light for him to swim by. He stripped off his clothes and walked into the surf. He allowed the water to wash over him as he floated on his back. The water cooled and soothed his injuries.

_See? _He thought to himself, _There's nothing here. And I'm not crazy. _

He submerged himself fully and felt himself consumed by the sea. It sealed him away from the world and he hung in what felt like suspended animation. It relaxed and purified him. It was the definition of silence which could only be found here, in his eden, the ocean.

He cracked open his eyes below the water and a flash of purple cut across his vision. It had been shiny. _Like fish scales? _Yami thought. _It was certainly a large fish! If I catch it it could feed us all! _Giving no thought to the fact that he did not have any fishing gear, he chased after the shimmering figure.

It was lucky enough that he had seen it in the first place. Predator and prey were swimming about five feet below the water, so it was pretty dark. Ocasionally a cloud would cover the moon and Yami would lose sight of it completely. But it would always appear about where it had been before when the light from the moon returned.

_It's strange, _He thought, _surely a fish of this size could've easily outswam me by now. _It almost seemed to be taunting him. Going slow enough for him to keep up but never catch up. Like this was some sort of game. _And I never lose a game! _Yami thought. He noticed they were getting closer the the rock pool where he had been sitting last night. A plan formed in his mind. _I can outsmart a stupid fish, _he thought arrogantly. He grabbed a quick breath of air and resubmerged.

He grabbed a medium sized rock off the bottom and continued his pursuit. Once the fish had moved into the pool Yami sprung his trap. The rock pool had only two escape routes, out around the outcrop of rock where he had sat last night and another off to the side. Yami noticed the fish already making its way over to the second exit. He stopped swimming and began treading water. Using all his strength he hurled the rock directly _in front _of the fish. His plan worked. The sea-beast spooked, thinking it was being attacked from the front, and swam directly into Yami's arms. He quickly pinned it to a rock behind him and straddled his own body on top of it to prevent its escape.

Yami observed his catch from bottom to top. _My God! This thing is enormous! The tail alone must be- _But he stopped midthought. His eyes had come to rest on something that didn't belong on a fish... Skin. Human skin. A hand wrapped around his wrist, which was still pinning the _fish _down by the tail. His head whipped up-

And his dark crimson eyes locked with hauntingly familiar purple ones. Yami was so startled he almost released the thing. Almost. But he wasn't about to let this catch of the day get away.

"It's not possible!" Yami screamed, "You're not real!" _but he is... _said a voice in his head, _not only is he real, he's a-a-a-a _"mermaid" Yami finished aloud.

**[AN] totally predictable plot twist ftw! I know it's short and I considered adding a bit of random backstory/flashbacks for Yami but it didn't seem to really fit just yet.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Silence. _Nothing. It still didn't speak. _Can mermaids speak? _It just stared at him expectantly. The mermaid showed no sign of fear. Like it knew he wouldn't hurt him.

It was right.

Because Yami was completely entranced. In a bizzare way his discovery had only made his other seem _more _beautiful.

_Beautiful? _Yami thought, he had thought the mermaid had seemed pretty before but beautiful? _Thinking another guy was beautiful? Well guy mermaid... That's beside the point. Am I gay?_

_Worse things have happened._

It made sense. All of the serious relationships he'd had before had been with girls and he'd always gotten bored eventually. _But I could never bore of you..._

He was suddenly aware of his naked body straddling his mermaid. "Ah, er excuse me." Yami said, releasing his catch. He didn't consider the consequences of what he'd just done. The mermaid went to make a break for it. But stopped before fully submerging. It looked at him with those same expectant eyes.

"What?" he asked it. _It's a game. _the words floated through his mind, _he wants you to play. _

"If I try and grab you again you'll just turn into water or something, like before right?" He remembered his fingers going right through the mermaid's flesh like he himself was just an extension of the ocean.

Something in the mermaid's eyes said otherwise. They challenged him. _Why don't you try it and find out? _The tail with the beautiful amethyst scales that matched his eyes slapped playfully at the water.

He took his chance he grabbed the mermaid by his wrist and pulled him closer. This time at their touch an electric pulse went through him. _It was magical when I felt your touch... _He remembered the song lyric from two nights ago. He wrapped his other arm around the mermaids waist and pulled him closer. Before he could reconsider he captured the other in a fierce kiss.

Another pulse of electricity.

The mermaid seemed surprised at his move in their game but it didn't take him long to recover. Soon he was kissing Yami back, returning his passion. It was a fascinating thing kissing a mermaid. Usually kisses were hot. This was cool. Cold battled for domminance. Neither prepared to yeild. Eventually they both broke apart in unison.

"I-I'm-" He never finshed his sentece. The mermaid took him in another powerful kiss. He could feel himself being pulled down. Down under the water. The mermaid wrapped both of his arms around him as he dragged them deeper under water. The kiss didn't break. Yami was back in his eden. The silence engulfed him. His eyes slid closed. He allowed his sense of touch to domminate him. His own body so close to his other's. He was quickly becoming aroused. And his sense of _taste. _It tasted like vanilla. _An odd thing for a fish to taste like..._

He felt him shoulders push up against something. The seafloor. Still they didn't break apart. Until Yami remembered... He needed something. What was it? _Oh yes, air. I need to breathe. _He broke the kiss and tried to loosen the mermaids grip. It wouldn't budge. It's purple eyes stared at him. _Let me go. _He thought to it. _I'm not like you, I don't have gills. _He tugged at it's arms but it held srong.

Yami watched as the creature's face began to change. Its usual happy and curious smile transformed. It became cruel, _malicious. _The gorgeous purple eyes became slits. Yami tried again to escape but it had him pinned by both of his shoulders now. His lungs screamed out. A sudden erie calm overcame him. Deep down Yami knew this creature knew he needed air. It was choosing not to let him up.

_Is this what this was all about? Was he sent to kill me? Temptation incarnate? Why? I've never done anything wrong... _then he remembered, _Oh yea, I'm a pirate...  
><em>

He tried to urge the other with his eyes. Stared straight into them, pleading. _I'm sorry for what I've done! Maybe I was meant to die during that storm and this is God coming to collect what was promised to him. _The mermaid laughed. Some how the sound echoed through the water and filled the space around them. Despite the situation it was still a lovely sound. Like bells.

Darkness began to fill his vision.

Suddenly he was on a different beach far away. Bakura was there with him. The two were about to race.

"I don't know why we're doing this," The white haired man argued, "You're like a fish. There's no chance of me winning."

"We're doing it 'cause it's a nice day!" Yami replied cheerfully. "Hey if you beat me I'll buy you a round back at the tavern."

"Oh wow more alcohol. I thought that was what got us into this situation in the first place." Bakura replied sarcastically.

"Tch. You just don't wanna get your hair wet princess. Now come on let's go!" Yami said, diving head first into the water.

"I don't know why I encourage you..." Bakura replied before diving in after him. Bakura was already a good ten yards behind, not that he was really trying.

Suddenly something happened. Yami stopped. Bakura saw his face frozen in an expression of extreme pain. "Yami!" he called out. He watched as his friend began to sink. He appeared unconcious. Bakura scooped him up in his arms and swam him into shore. Once there he stopped to examine comatose Yami. "Jellyfish stings." he thought to himself. The whiplike scars were easily recognizable. "Jellyfish venom is a nuerotoxin which parylyzes the nervous system." He though aloudt. Yami's body was going to slowly shut down.

And that was where the memory cut off. That was when Yami had fully blacked out. He never _had _asked Bakura how he'd saved him. The correct time had never really come.

_Will all of Bakura's courage go to waste now? _

Suddenly air filled his lungs. He was back in the mermaids arms but he was above water. It had brought him up to breathe.

_So it didn't want to kill me... _Yami thought as he tried to regulate his breathing. When his eyes refocused he noticed the mermaid was looking at him with a concerned look on its face. Yami smiled to comfort it. He still prefered a look of happiness on the face of his mermaid. Once reassured of his safety the mermaid's face changed again. Yami could read the words in its eyes as if they were written there in plain english.

_I win this round. _

It placed a quick kiss on his lips before dissolving into the water around them, leaving Yami completely dumbfounded.


	6. Chapter 6

**(AN) beware! things get a little OOC in this chap... well even more OOC then they were before... hopefully it's not unreadable...**

_He almost killed me! _Yami thought. He was back at the camp. The others were already asleep when he got there. _And yet I can't even be angry... _Yami thought. Whenever the mermaid passed through his thoughts all negative emotions faded from him. _It's caught my heart... I don't know what I'm going to do. _He sighed quietly. _One day at a time. Tommorow I'll go back and try to find him again._

He tossed and turned that night. Sleep always seemingly within reach but he could never quite catch it. When the first rays of light peeked through the tent he got out of his bed. He was almost clear of the tent when someone spoke.

"Yami?" It was Bakura. He kept his voice low to keep from awakening the others. "Where are you going?"

"For a swim." Yami tried to remain as calm as possible.

"Could I come with you?" Bakura asked.

"NO!" Yami said. Jou sat up, alerted by his shout.

"Guys? What's goin on?" He asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Nothing. I'm just going out." The hurt in Bakura's eyes was evident but he didn't push the matter in front of Jou. He would never do anything to jeopordize whatever Yami was up to.

"Wake up! We need to get to work!" The captain. _No! I'll never get away now._

Jou started shaking Malik to wake him. Bakura was tickling Marik's face with a feather, smiling his infamous devil's smile as Marik tried to swat away the feather in his sleep. If Bakura was still upset he was doing a good job of hiding it. He was protecting Yami. Again. Like he always did.

"Men at attention in five minutes." The Captain called from outside the tent. Bakura stopped tickling Marik and pinched his nose shut. Marik struggled in vain to remain sleeping but eventually awoke with a loud snore.

"I hate you." Marik said to Bakura.

"Likewise." He replied.

"Come on guys. Where would you be without each other?" Malik said, playing peace maker as usual.

"Still asleep." Marik growled.

"And then the Captain would take your head off." Malik pointed out.

"Yea guys just face it. This crew is the closest thing any of us have to a family. If you guys can't trust each other than who can you trust.?" Jou said.

_My thoughts exactly, _Yami thought. But he didn't speak up. _Bakura and Marik's always-tense relationship isn't the weak link in this family. I am. Because I've become obsessed with a creature that may or may not be a hallucination. That beautiful angelic face... What I wouldn't give to-_

"Are you girls braiding each other's hair in there?" The Captain said breaking him out of his reverie. "I said we have work to do!" The five went outside and got into attention. Well, what this crew believed attention was.

"So Seto," Jou said, examing his fingernails, "How much longer you think we're gonna be on this beach."

"I figure not much longer." Malik said. "The repairs are going quicker than expected. I think-"

"WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE FOR SOME PIRATES WHO LISTENED TO DAMN ORDERS. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT ATTENTION MEANS?" The Captain shouted at the usually quiet Egyptian. Malik cringed and Yami saw fear flicker in his lillac eyes.

_Tensions are rising, _He thought, _Everyone else can't wait to get out of here. I fear every second after we leave this bay... _

The Captain wasn't done yet, "MAYBE IF YOU AND MARIK STOPPED PLAYING GRABASS OCASSIONALLY WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED." Malik remained silent and hung his head. Marik gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Marik looked like he was about to say something but Jou beat him to it.

"Seto what are you doing!" Jou cut in. "You told me yourself this crew is your family as much as it is mine!"

"Yea and sometimes families argue _mutt." _Jou looked like he was about to knock the Captain's teeth out.

Now Yami decided to intervene, "Captain, with all due respect-"

"You! Yami! Can you work again yet?" The Captain asked.

For a second he almost lied. Lied so he could get away from this madness that was ripping apart his family. Go and look for comfort in his mermaid. But he didn't.

"Yes sir I'm fine."

"Then get over there. All of you. Out of my sight. Don't come back until sunset." The Captain ordered. Marik, Malik, Bakura, and Yami all went to a row boat. Jou stayed behind. "I thought I told you to get to work Jou." but the command sounded weak. Jou stayed where he was.

Once on the ride over, Yami looked back. Jou was leading the Captain into his tent by his hand. The Captain had his face burried in his hand in apparent shame.

The work went by slowly. The sun was hot and it baked Yami to his core. Several times he debated "accidentaly" falling over the side of the boat into the refreshing water below so he could cool down.

"I'm glad you're back here with us." Malik said to Yami. The four of them had effectively burried themselves in their work which released the negative feelings left over from that morning.

"Yes, it was driving me crazy not being able to help out." Yami said, wiping his hand across his forehead.

"You're such a damn workaholic!" Bakura said. "You make the rest of us look bad."

"I just want to help out." Yami said.

"Well if you weren't so helpful maybe the Captain would cut the rest of us a break!" Marik said.

"That's not true." Malik said. "The Captain deserves our respect. He had a right to be angry."

"What are you saying?" Marik asked.

"Like you don't know." Malik responded. "I love you, but you have a head like a cinderblock."

"So you mean it's tough and gets the job done!" Marik said.

"I think he means it's hard and a pain to work with." Bakura said. Yami and Malik laughed. Marik even joined in. The two seemed to get along fine, some of the time.

"I still don't get why you didn't punch the Captain in the face." Marik said.

"What can I say..." Malik replied, "I've always been a forgiving person..."


	7. Chapter 7

By the time sunset came they were all exhausted. They played rock paper scizors to decide who would have to row back. Bakura lost.

"Yami always wins... No matter what the game is. I bet he's cheating." Bakura said.

"Yea cheating at rock paper scizors. That's definitely possible." Yami said.

"Look at it this way, maybe this will help you build some muscles on those sticks you call arms!" Marik pointed out, flexing his own biceps. Bakura just glared at him.

When they got back to the beach. The others went straight to the tent. Yami told them he was going out. They were amazed he could still stand, let alone wanted to go for a swim. But they were too tired to argue.

_I know I'll never sleep if I don't see him again. _So he headed off toward the beach.

On his way, Yami passed by the Captain's tent. He could hear speaking. His curiosity got the better of him.

"Thank you Jou." The Captain said.

"You know I'd do anything to help you." Jou said. Yami heard him about to exit the tent and he backed up and acted like he was just walking by.

"Hi Yami!" Jou said, exiting the tent. "Seto just gave me _another _day of swabbing that stupid deck!" Yami smiled knowingly. When Jou walked past him he whispered in his ear.

"You take good care of him." Jou stopped dead. He looked at Yami like he was a ghost. Yami raised his hands deffensively, "Don't worry Jou, we all have our secrets." _Trust me. _

"Yea, well, sometimes he needs someone to take care of him. He's not as strong as he wants people to believe he is... he has a sensitive side." A compassion Yami had never noticed before flickered in Jou's hazel eyes.

"Is anyone really what they want others to believe they are?" Yami asked.

"I think you are." Now it was Yami's turn to be shocked. "All you want people to believe is that you're a friend and you care."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're the only one here who really gets ALL of us. You know how to connect with Marik and Malik even thought they've always been the outsiders in the group. You respect Seto. You're the only one who Bakura will really talk to. And clearly the two of us get along fine."

"Thank you, Jounochi." Yami said. Jou hugged him and Yami returned it gratefully. It was comforting to him. Since what he was doing felt like a betrayal to the people he was supposed to be a friend to.

Halfway through the jungle and Yami was concerned if he'd have any blood left by the time he got to the beach. The bugs were eating him alive.

"Stupid parasites! Go leech off someone else." He slapped one off his arm producing a loud sound. The sound reverberated... it seemed to come back to him. Like it had a second source. Like there had been a second slap coming from behind him. He continued on, trying to look as oblivious as he could. Then he slapped another bug off his arm. There it was again. He was sure of it.

"I know you're there." He said without turning around, "I have to say it was clever of you to wait to slap the bugs until I did. They must have been devouring you though. You'll probably regret it tommorow when you're itching like crazy."

No response.

"Come now, your cover is blown. There's no point in trying to hide from me." He turned and faced the direction he believed the second slap had come from.

"You always were too clever for your own good." A man said stepping out of the undergrowth.

"Bakura! What are you doing?" Yami asked.

"Something is up with you. I just wanted to help." Bakura replied.

Suddenly irrational anger overtook Yami. _Why is he always protecting me! I can take care of myself! He should just focus on his own problems. _He knew his thoughts were wrong. But he couldn't help it. The words that came out of his mouth were purely impulsive. They didn't even feel like his own.

"Bakura just get out of here! You can't be babysitting me constantly!"

"I won't fight with you Yami." Bakura replied calmly. "You don't mean what you say."

_Damn! Why does he have to know me so well?_

"Yami?"

"Bakura, please go. Please." Yami's voice had an undertone of desperation. _I _have _to get to the beach!_

The man's dark brown eyes studied him for a moment that felt like an hour.

"I'll tell you when I'm ready, I promise." Yami said. "You'll be the first to know, I swear it."

Another long moment.

"Alright Yami. I trust you." He turned and walked away. Yami waited until the sound of his footsteps faded completely and he was left alone in silence before continuing on.

There were more clouds tonight then the other two nights Yami had been at this beach. But that didn't deter him. He quickly threw off his clothes and dove into the surf. He didn't stop to relax like he had the night before, instead he scanned the water all around him. Looking desperately for those beautiful amethyst eyes.

He thought about how much he loved those eyes. They were so wonderfully expresive. Some people might've thought that having eyes that allowed your emotions to be read like a book was a bad thing. But they would be wrong. Emotions were beautiful and he loved seeing them reflect in those hauting eyes.

Suddenly he saw a tailfin out of the corner of his eye. _Is that him? _Yami thought. _Was he here waiting for me?_ The thought made him feel very warm inside.

Something bumped him from behind. Yami spun around, expecting to see the mermaid but instead it was something _much _different.

The tailfin he was looking for had been horizontal. The one now in his line of vision was vertical. And attached at the end of this fin were not curious, purple eyes, but hundreds of sharp, serated teeth. _A shark._

It circled him. _Go away clouds! I have to get a better look at it! _As if on cue the moon's light returned. And he saw what he had been fearing. _The stripes. _This shark had dark gray stripes on it's body. It was a tiger shark.

_Not good. _Tigers were one of the most agressive species native to these waters. Yami looked below him. _A reef. Damn that would definitely qualify as this beast's territory. _And that made him a trespasser.

_Fight or flight? _That was the question any creature had to ask when it found itself labeled as "prey". Most animals were born with insticts that would make them automatically choose the latter option. Unfortunately Yami wasn't which means he _had _to make a choice. But he was still looking for a third answer to the question.

_This isn't a puzzle or a game Yami_, he thought. _You can't think your way out of this one._

The shark's circle grew gradually smaller. At one point it gave his leg an expiremental bump. Yami couldn't stop himself from releasing a very uncharacteristic squeak of terror. Sharks often test potential food with their sensitive noses before attacking.

_I'm not fast enough to get away... and I might just kick in its predatory instict to chase. _

He steeled himself in preperation for what was coming, not letting the shark leave his line of sight. Suddenly it darted forward. Yami felt each individual tooth as it clamped into his calf muscle but the pain only lasted a moment, because his adrenaline kicked in. That was what he had been waiting for. He mustered all of the super human strength that was given to him by the chemical and punched the shark directly in that sensitive snout. Yami was surprised to see it actually release him. He didn't think his plan would actually work. Then again calling it a plan was a bit of a stretch. "Last ditch effort" was a better description.

_But I'm not out of the water yet! _He thought. The shark didn't seem to be considering retreat. He could feel his blood flowing out of his leg and into the water around them. He was sure the shark, as well as any other shark within a ten mile radius, could smell it. He thought of one last thing he could do. He mustered all the strength in his lungs and screamed as loud as he could, "HELP ME!" He didn't know who he was shouting to. Bakura? God? The mermaid?

_I never got to see him again... I just wish I could have one more time..._

Suddenly he heard singing. Not words or lyrics, but it was definitely a song of some sort. It sounded like bells ringing through the water.

_Bells? Could it be? _

Yes. His mermaid materialized from the water around him between him and the shark. The light purple scales on the lower half of his body shone marvelously. The mermaid was the one singing. He continued to sing his bizzare wordless song to the shark which seemed to have forgotten Yami existed.

Then Yami realized something. This wasn't a song, this was his other _speaking _to the shark_. Wow, _Yami thought, _Even talking is a magical event for this creature. _

Yami watched as the mermaid swam up to the shark. He touched its nose and directed a look of sympathy to the giant fish.

And suddenly Yami felt bad for punching it. He felt guilty for defending his life because now the mermaid was upset. _The things he does to me..._ Yami was still aware of the fact that he was losing buckets of blood from his legs. He considered attempting swiming back to shore. He decided against it, fearing he might regain the shark's attention.

Suddenly the shark turned and began swimming away. _The mermaid talked him out of eating me I just know it. _Then he felt arms wrap around him. They carried him toward the shore but were careful to allow him air to breathe. When they reached the shore he was looking toward the ground. He noticed that the person who was carrying him had feet. _Feet? Did Bakura come back and save me? _

"Are you ok?" A voice asked him. Not Bakura's. Definitely too sweet to be Bakura's. He looked up at the man that was carrying him.

"You can walk!" Yami exclaimed. His other's purple eyes glinted in the moonlight. _Wow he sure is strong, _Yami thought, _despite the fact that he was a bit bigger than the mermaid it seemed to carry him with ease._ "Could you always walk?" Yami blathered on.

He ignored his statement. "Are. You. Ok?" He asked again.

"And you can talk!" Yami said. The mermaid sighed out of frustration and set him down on the sand.

"Yami! Yami are you here? I heard you call!" It was Bakura.

"Your own will care for you now." The mermaid said before turning to walk back into the sea. Suddenly Yami remembered the shark bite. It still didn't hurt. He was more worried about losing his other again.

"Wait!" Yami exclaimed. He reached out his hand to him.

It looked back at him. His eyes seemed just as pained as he felt to be leaving.

"My name is Yugi." he said before diving into the ocean.

**[AN] marine biology is kinda like my passion so I couldn't help getting a little factual... hopefully I don't sound like some program from the discovery channel ^^"**


	8. Chapter 8

_Yugi..._

Yami's first thought when he regained conciousness. _Thank God I didn't forget the name... _

He opened his eyes. He wasn't surprised to find himself back in the base camp tent. Bakura had saved him again. _That makes three times._

"Let me ask you something," Bakura said, realizing he was awake. "Have you ever considered getting a house as far inland as possible and just _staying _there?" Yami laughed at that and Bakura waited for him to stop before continuing. "Because the ocean doesn't seem to like you very much." this sent Yami into another bought of laughter.

They sat in silence for a moment before Bakura spoke.

"So," he asked, "who is Yugi? You mentioned him a lot in your sleep."

Yami could felt himself pale. "My brother," he answered, thinking quickly, "I've always felt bad about leaving him behind when I ran away." Yami thanked his lucky stars that no one else had been in the tent while he was asleep.

"Ah. I see. You seemed to care for him a lot from what you said." Bakura said.

_What did I say? Shit! I might have been thinking some very un-brotherly things in my sleep!_

_Does Bakura know I'm lying? _

Another awkward silence.

"Bakura," Yami said, hating how hard it was becoming to talk to his old friend, "What happened three years ago? When you saved me?" _Now was as good a time as any. _He thought. _I _should _have asked him much sooner._

Now Bakura paled. He sighed before speaking. "That- that didn't exactly happend as you seem to think it did Yami." He sighed again and refused to meet Yami's gaze. His dark chocolate eyes seemed very troubled.

"Bakura whatever happened back then is in the past. It's not like telling me what happened would kill me now." Yami said. "I could never really be angry with you anyway, you know that." He encouraged.

"Alright. It's really not that exciting of a story. Actually it verges on melodramatic." Bakura said biting his lip.

"Go on." Yami encouraged him once again.

"I didn't save you."

Yami waited for him to continue but he seemed too upset. "What do you mean? Who else could it have been?"

"I don't know Yami! God I hate when I have to think about this!" He burried his face in his hands.

"Bakura I'm sorry." Yami said. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Well we've gone this far, I might as well finish the story! I left you on that damn beach. There I said it. I left you there. I was scared that I would have to watch you die in my arms. I ran. My mind was saying that it was going for help but my heart knew that wasn't true. My heart knew that the jellyfish venom would have killed you long before I could've found someone to help. I was just being a coward!" He raised a fist and for a second Yami thought he was going to hit him but he brought it down on the earth they were sitting on. "Where's a fucking wall to punch when you need one?" He stood and stormed from the tent.

"Bakura I-!" Malik and Marik were approaching from the other side of the beach. Malik waved happily at him and started walking quicker to meet them.

"So," Marik said, once he was within earshot, "A shark huh? Is that how you get your kicks now?" He had said it jokingly but Yami felt guilty for _once again _worrying his friends.

Malik elbowed Marik and directed him a playful glare. "How are you feeling Yami?" Malik asked.

"I'm fine really. Sure it hurts but I'm kind of getting used to pain anymore." Malik, Yami and Marik chuckled. Bakura was standing with his back to them and his arms crossed, still fuming. The Egyptians seemed oblivious to his troubles though.

The three chatted lightly for a few moments.

"You know there was still a tooth stuck in your leg when Bakura brought you back last night?" Marik said. "I made it into a necklace." He added, proudly holding up a thin black string, which, sure enough did have a large shark tooth on the end. Yami cringed.

"See Marik, I told you he would've wanted to keep it! You should have asked him before taking it." Malik scolded him.

"No, NO! I'm fine." Yami replied as Marik started to take off the necklace to hand him the gory trophy. _Hundreds of those were burried in my leg. _Yami thought. _That's just disturbing._

"Ok if you say so." Marik said.

"Well guys I think I'm gonna go for a swim." Yami announced.

"Are you fucking nuts?" Bakura spoke up for the first time, whipping around to face him. "You're going back there again?"

"I'll be careful," he reassured, "besides, think of all the times I've swam in the ocean and nothing happened. Last night was just a fluke accident."

Bakura glared at him intensely. Yami was slightly taken aback. He had seen Bakura this angry before, it's just that he had never seen it directed at him before. It was honestly a little frightening.

"At least let me come with you." Bakura said. He didn't shout. His anger had reached the point where your voice actually got quieter.

"I really can't Bakura! I'm sorry but you'll just have to trust me!"

Malik, who had stood there dumbfounded while the two had argued attempted to cut in, "Bakura maybe you should-"

"I don't need your adivce right now." He replied, enunciating each syllable. "This is a matter between the two of us and I'd appreciated it if you two could leave it that way."

"But-" Malik said. Marik, for once having common sense took his lover by the arm and lead him away.

"It's not our place Malik. They'll work it out." Yami heard him say.

Once they were out of earshot Bakura spoke again. "I saved you that night during the storm because I felt it would help me fulfill my debt. Give me closure. I couldn't even save your life unselfishly. Even that was just to help myself. I'll never be good like you. And you know what really sucks? I still can't get over the fact that I abandoned you. I still fell guilty."

"Bakura I'm not angry. There was nothing you could have done. And look I'm fine! I'm really not angry."

"Just because you aren't doesn't mean I'm not furious with myself." Bakura said. He turned and started to walk away. "Enjoy your swim, or whatever it is you do on that beach."

_He's wrong, _Yami thought as Bakura walked away, _He's one of the best people I know and I'm going to show him... later. _He headed off in the direction of the beach.


	9. Chapter 9

_What to do? _Yami thought.

He was standing on the rocky outcrop where he had first encountered Yugi. He decided to sit down and rest his un-bandaged leg in the cool surf.

_Should I call to him? Maybe I should start singing or- _Suddenly something broke through the surface of the water and pounced on him.

"Yugi!" He exclaimed. The other grabbed him in a tight embrace.

"You're ok!" Yugi replied back. Yami was so thrilled to hear his voice again, overjoyed that he didn't imagine the sweet sound from the night before.

"Yea." He said, returning the hug. The two held each other for a few moments before Yami spoke again.

"So who won that last round?" He asked. Yugi's wonderful smile grew even bigger.

"Let's just call it a tie." Yugi said. Yami kissed him deeply, cupping his hands around the mermaid's delicate face.

"Come on!" Yugi said after they broke apart. "Aren't you coming in?" He smiled playfully.

Yami pointed to his bandaged leg.

"Well don't they have more bandages?" Yugi asked.

"I suppose..." Yami said. "But-" He was cut off by Yugi grabbing him by the arm and yanking him into the sea. "Wahh!" Yami exclaimed as he was caught off-gaurd.

The cool water surrounded him. It stung a little bit on his wound, but the sting was actually a good thing in theory. It meant the salt from the water was cleaning the bacteria. His head broke the surface and he shook his head splashing Yugi with water from his hair.

"Hey stop! Stop it!" He giggled. "Just so you know I get points for that!"

"Oh really?" Yami asked his voice becoming raspy. "Do I get points for this?" He asked pinning Yugi to the rocks much as he had the other night and kissing him passionately. When he finished he trailed a few butterfly kisses down his lovers neck and onto his chest. "Well, do I get points for that?" He asked.

"Uh yea, uh huh." Yugi said biting his lip cutely. Yami realized this was the first time he'd seen him so flustered. He kind of liked it. "Kiss me again please." Yugi asked meekly. Yami was shocked. This was not the same confident, mysterious mermaid he knew. This one was adorably shy. And he could not deny any request his lighter half made. Not that he wanted to. He took the others lips again and Yugi wrapped his arms around his neck.

This time when they broke apart Yami realized something. He wanted more. He wanted to take the mermaid, and if he wasn't mistaken, from the reaction Yugi was giving him, he wanted the same thing. Then he thought of a way.

"Yugi how long can you stay out of the water?" He asked.

He seemed to understand and his eyes changed expression again, they became darker, lustful. "Long enough," He replied at almost a whisper.

-**lemon**-

This time Yami carried him from the water. Once they had cleared the surface he watched in amazement as Yugi's lower half changed. Sure enough it became just like a human's. Yugi seemed to become suddenly embarrased at how naked he was.

"Don't be silly Yugi," Yami reassured him. "You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen."

"I'm not even human Yami." Yugi said.

"Then you are the most beautiful mythical creature I have ever seen, ok?" He kissed him lightly and Yugi blushed.

Yami laid him gently on the beach and got down on top of him, straddling the mermaid. He kissed him again and did not hold back. He explored every inch of Yugi's mouth and he felt his other moan into the kiss. He began to strip off his shirt, which Yugi had never given him an opportunity to take off before he got into the water. Yugi helped him get it over his head and they threw it away carelessly.

He noticed Yugi getting aroused and he took his member in his hand. He stroked it, slowly at first and Yugi groaned. Then he bent down and took Yugi entirely into his mouth. "Yami!" He hissed, his hips bucking into Yami's mouth. Yami swallowed deep in his throat as he continued to suck on Yugi. Yugi continued to moan as Yami took him deep into his throat. "Y-Yami I'm going to- Ah!" he screamed into his release. Yami swallowed it all and took Yugi slowly from his mouth, licking his tip teasingly before sitting up. He kissed Yugi fiercly and he felt his other nibble a bit on his lip. This time he moaned in pleasure and he pulled Yugi onto his lap as he stripped off his pants and underwear. He moaned as his hard member brushed up against Yugi.

He licked a finger a was about to put it in Yugi when he spoke.

"Yami, I'm a little nervous. This is my first time." He said quietly.

"You're kidding!" Yami said a little louder than he intended to. Yugi said nothing, just kept looking at him, his purple eyes for once unreadable. "You're serious... Oh Yugi I'm sorry! If you're not ready then we don't have to-"

"No Yami I need this!" He said. "I don't know how much longer we'll be together and I've wanted you all this time!"

_All this time? We've only known each other for four days... That's odd. _But he was suddenly distracted again by Yugi sitting back further on his lap. He had to bite his lip to keep his moan from escaping.

"Alright Yugi this will hurt a little bit." He licked his finger again and inserted it slowly into Yugi.

"Eeep!'

"Are you ok?" Yami asked.

"Fine." He murmured lustfully. "Keep going."

He stuck a second finger in and scisored the two. He pushed them in a bit further and noticed Yugi buck involuntarily when he hit a certain spot. _Now I've got you. _He thought. He took his fingers out of the mermaid and put himself at Yugi's entrance. He put his member in slowly, but even so, Yugi still flinched. This felt very different then kissing him had. His mouth had been cold, but this, this was hot. Like a hotspring. It was amazing. He gave Yugi time to stretch before pushing in the rest of the way to the spot he found before. _So tight..._

"Yami!" Yugi screamed out. He started to pull himself out and only to push back in, harder this time.

"Oh God Yugi you're so tight!" he said and started to thrust in and out harder. Yugi started to rise and fall with in time with his thrusts. "Ah Yugi!" He took his lover's member in his hand and started stroking it in time with their love making. He hit Yugi in that spot with every thrust now and each time the other would shout out.

"Yami I'm getting close!" He exclaimed. Yami could feel himself getting close too. He gave one last thrust and screamed into his release.

"Yugi!"

"Yami!" He said as he too released.

-**end of lemon-**

Yami laid back and hit the ground with a loud thud. "ugh.." he moaned. he pulled out of Yugi and the mermaid laid on top of him. Both were breathing heavily and Yami stared into Yugi's lovely eyes. The look in them right now could be described as nothing other than one of love. Yami was sure his looked the same.

Yami was sure because he had realized something. Bakura had been right, he had known all along. It might have taken him some time to be able to admit it but now he was ready to. He probably had felt it from the moment he first saw him in that dream. Right now, it didn't matter what problems he had going on with Bakura or anyone else. Because he was in love.

"I love you Yugi." Yami said with as much emotion as his exhausted body could muster.

Yugi gazed at him with those purple orbs he loved so much and replied, "I love you too Yami. And one other thing."

"What is it?" Yami asked.

"You win." Yugi said. Yami laid on his side and pulled Yugi up to his chest.

"Let's just call it a tie." He whispered into his ear.

**[AN] Lemons are so awkward to write! It feels like you're watching someone else having sex... This was actually the first one I've ever written... So thats why I made Yugi a virgin XD we were both first timers... The whole time I was writing I kept turning around expecting to see someone in my family standing there like "What the hell is wrong with you?" X3**


	10. Chapter 10

"Yugi, have I ever told you how beautiful you look in the moonlight?" Yami said. The two had fallen asleep for a few hours but when they woke up the moon was still dominating the sky.

Yugi sighed contentedly in his arms. "I love it when you say my name... I should have told you it sooner."

"Yea why didn't you?" Yami asked. He couldn't stop the edge of irritation that was in his voice.

"Oh Yami, It was all part of the game love." Yugi said through slitted eyes as he kissed his crimson eyed lover lightly. Yami wanted to take him again right there.

"Oh mou hitori no boku, the things I wouldn't do for you."

"What?" Yugi asked.

"I would do anything for you." Yami said.

"No, that other thing you said. Mou hitori no somethin or other."

"Mou hitori no boku? It means 'the other me'. I feel like you've always been a part-"

"Wait wait wait..." Yugi said, "I'm the other you?" Yami looked at him shocked.

"Yes Yugi. I feel like you complete me."

"I feel the same way Yami. But, who's to say _you're _not the other _me_?" He quesitoned.

"Good point." Yami said his face scrunching up in thought.

"We're equals." Yugi continued on, "Like partners."

"Partners..." Yami thought. "Alright Aibou, I like it!" He snuggled his nose into the back of his lover's neck and Yugi giggled.

"And see? Isn't that a much better name than mou hitori something else?"

"Yes Aibou I think it's a lovely nickname."

The two sat for a moment longer before Yami turned onto his back to look up at the stars.

"Yugi?" he asked.

"What?"

"Are there others like you?" He said.

Yugi was silent for a moment. "I'm not supposed to say." He replied.

"I'm not even supposed to be here," Yami pointed it out. "But I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Likewise." Yugi replied. "You know, forbidden love is pretty sexy." Yami kissed him again.

"By the way Yami, I'm sorry for almost drowning you." He said. He smiled guiltily, like a four year old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. It was adorable.

"I thought you really wanted to kill me." Yami admitted. "Humans tell stories of mermaids sometimes. And in the majority of them you guys don't look so good."

Yugi chuckled lightly. "Oh really? What sort of things do they say about us?"

"Well there is the one where the mermaids lure the sailors to their deaths using nothing but a song."

"I think you're getting us confused with sirens." Yugi said. "They, unfortunately, meet your description rather well and mermaids often blamed for their misdeeds."

"So there are other forms of mythical creatures!" Yami said, fascinated. "Are there dragons? And witches? What about vampires or werewolves?"

"Yes, no, yes and yes. There's no such thing as witches."

"Really?"

"Yes, but there are female wizards. In our world we don't really make name distinctions based on gender. That's why I'm a male mermaid, not a merman or some other foolish word like that. The word mermaid does not determine gender, it merely determines the type of creature."

"Ah, that makes since, I suppose. Merman always did sound like stupid word." Yami said. "Aibou you said there are vampires right?" He asked.

"Yea, why? Trust me they're not as sexy as everyone thinks they are."

"No one could ever be more beautiful to me than you Yugi." His partner's smile grew until it almost reached his eyes.

"You're not so bad yourself." Yugi said, his voice becoming huskier. "But what about vampires?"

"They can make other vampires right? By biting them? Is there a way for you to... make other mermaids?" Yugi looked stunned.

"Yami you can't... I... You have so much here to lose..."

"You're worth it to me Yugi..."

"I-I honestly don't know." Yami looked in his eyes. He was telling the truth. "I've never needed to know. But that doesn't mean there isn't a way. I'll try and find out if there is."

Suddenly Yami noticed the sun peeking over the eastern horizon through the forest. He thought about having to go back. About having to leave Yugi again. It was painful. Going back to base camp where Bakura... _Bakura!... I should just ask him... The worst he could say is no, right?_

"Aibou, one last thing."

"What is it Yami?"

"Would you be willing to meet someone-a friend of mine?" he clarified.

"Is it the white haired one?" Yugi asked.

"Yea he's-wait. How did you know he had white hair? You've never seen him up close or even in the sunlight for that matter."

"Oh I just saw you guys together during the day..." Yami noticed Yugi's eyes roll up and look to the _left _before he responded. A clear indication that someone isn't telling the truth.

"Aibou, why are you lying to me?" Yugi looked at him, shocked.

"I-I-I'm sorry Yami... Please forgive me." He pleaded.

"I could never be angry with you Yugi. But I need to know. How do you know Bakura?"

"I suppose I have some explaining to do..." He trailed off.

"It's ok Aibou. You can tell me anything" He pulled him close.

"You know that day three years ago? You almost died? I saved you. I was the one who kept you from dying when your _friend _ran off." Yugi spat out the word like it was acid on his tongue.

"You're kidding." Yami said. _Is that why he says he's known me for so long?_

"No, it's the truth. I was watching from the ocean that day. I suppose destiny just brought me there. I saw you get stung. At first I wasn't going to do anything. I thought your friend- Bakura- would know what to do. But then he left you there... I didn't want to watch an innocent person die. And it honestly distubed me a little how similar in appearence we were."

"So what did you do?" Yami asked fascinated. _Destiny sure is an incredible mistress. _

"That's where things get amusing... And let me tell you, you owe me big for this." He chuckled to himself. "You know how I'm naked when I first leave the water? Well it was of course the same that day." his rosy blush returned.

"Ok, but how did you save me? How did you stop the venom?"

"You probably don't know this but your human _vinegar _has bacteria in it that can disarm jellyfish venom. So I ran, butt naked, to the nearest tavern and begged the manager to give me some vinegar." Yami started laughing at the image, and Yugi pouted at him, "What, that's the thanks I get?"

"I'm sorry Aibou... But you have to admit it is a pretty funny picture!" Yami got caught up in another bought of laughter.

"Yea well anyway, the man thought I was a drunk. I think he gave me the vinegar just to get me to leave. After that I ran back and poured it on the stings. You were just lucky that I ran fast."

"Wow..." Yami said. He suddenly seemed to realize just how close he came to dying. He pulled Yugi closer.

"In your friend's defense he did return a few moments after I went back to the ocean."

"He really is a good person..." Yami defended him. "So you recognized me when you saw me four nights ago?"

"How could I not? It was like looking in a mirror." He pointed out. "And, to tell the truth, after that day I dreamt of you often." Yami smiled at the thought of Yugi dreaming of him.

The rising sun's rays laid gently down on the two.

"I should be going." Yugi said.

"Yes, I suppose I should too." Yami said. They stood and Yami placed a chaste kiss on his love's lips.

"Tommorow night?" He asked.

"You don't have to ask..."

"Remember to search for some way that we can transform a human into a mermaid."

"Yes, I will." He turned and started walking towards the ocean.

"Oh wait Aibou! What about Bakura?" He shouted after him.

Yugi sighed, not turning around. "Do you trust him?" He asked.

"With my life." Yami responded instantly.

"Ok. I trust _you_ Yami. So that's good enough for me."

**[AN] I thought some fluff might be nice... fluff and predictable plot twists! hopefully it's not boring. BTW! Vinegar is proven to remove the **_**pain **_**from jellyfish stings but it will **_**not **_**stop a fatal sting. So if you are ever stung by a jellyfish don't run naked to the nearest tavern. Call 911, go to a hospital! But, hey it's called a fanFICTION for a reason amirite? xP**


	11. Chapter 11

When Yami returned the others were just emerging from the tent.

"Yami you're such a morning peson!" Malik groaned.

"A morning person and a nightowl." Marik said, recalling how he had left to go for a swim the night before, "Maybe he just doesn't sleep?" He said.

_You have no idea... _Yami said, stifiling a yawn.

Bakura came out of the tent next. He said nothing. Just nodded at Yami in acknowledgement of his existence.

"Hey Yami!" Jou said, "I was thinking the two of us should go shark hunting later!" He said enthusiastically, "I want a tooth like Marik has!"

"Jou it was a nine foot tiger shark that almost ate me. Do you really think I want to go look for it again?" He asked.

"Yea. You're not afraid of anything in the sea."

"Good point. Maybe we'll go tommorow." He said sarcasticly. Malik, Marik, and Yami chuckled. Jou still thought he was serious. He had his creepy "game face" on.

"We'll show 'em! There ain't nothin that can stand up to the two of us!"

"Cool it Jounochi, that shark would eat you alive." The Captain said as he joined the group. Yami was surprised to see all the sailors, except for Jou, as usual, go to attention without having to be asked. Yami realized this was the first time he'd seen the captain since he'd flipped out at Malik. _Maybe he's going to act less arrogant and then the crew will show him more respect? _He noticed Bakura was still flipping the Captain off behind his back._ Well I can dream can't I? _

"Good morning everyone," He said. Yami couldn't help but notice that he was still acting like he owned the world. Chin held high, rarely meeting their gazes. _Ok so maybe nothing's changed..._

"I want you all to get to work a little early today. So we'll skip the arguments."

The others watched him expectantly, waiting for him to speak again.

"Well? What are you all standing around for? I said get to work!"

It was a hot day yet again. The five of them were taking a break, sitting around the deck with mugs of rum. The work had been slow and boring.

Slow and boring. Two adjetives that normally went hand-in-hand with the word "work".

_Well that's not necessarily true. _Yami thought to himself. _I usually love my job... _He thought of standing on the bow of the Aoi Doragon feeling a warm breeze blow his bangs from his face as a cool spray from the surf caressed his face. Yami decided to voice his thoughts in order to make conversation.

"Do you guys think being a pirate qualifies as work?" He asked.

"Hell yea!" Marik said, "We have to work our asses off!"

"And it pays the bills." Jou pointed out.

"By bills you mean our bar tabs every time we make port?" Malik asked, only somewhat jokingly.

"Exactly." Jou said, taking a swig from his rum.

"Do you guys ever wish you had a different life?" Yami asked. "You know a 'normal' life?"

"Never." Malik said. "I have everything I could need right here." He gazed lovingly at Marik.

"I think once you're a sailor you're a sailor for good." Jou said, "You know, it kinda get in your blood. You can't do anythin else. It doesn't feel right."

"What about the times when we steal from people? Does it ever bother you guys?" Yami asked. He heard Marik snort.

"Honestly, it used to." Jou said. "But I always think of these boys who used to steal from me as a kid. They wanted me to join their gang and every time I refused they would beat me up. The day I joined this crew I vowed to be strong. So if I ever saw them again I could kick their asses!"

"Ya see, I was kinda like the head of my house even as a young kid. My dad ran off and left my mom with me and my siter Serenity. I had to be strong for both of them! You guys probably don't know this... but I still send them a letter with funds every time we make port."

"That's pretty deep Jou." Malik said.

"Yea, I didn't know you had it in you." Marik said.

"Come on guys, you can't seriously tell me I'm the only one here from a shady background?" Jou said.

For a moment everyone was silent. Six years together and they had never really talked like this before. It had always just been a rule that what happened before you got on the ship was left behind. You didn't talk about it and you didn't think about it. And if you did than you drank more rum until you forgot again.

"Should we tell them Marik?" Malik asked. Marik sighed.

"I suppose. If we're going to have story time we might as well throw ours in the lot."

"Marik and I grew up in an orphanage in Egypt." Malik began. "We had lived next door as young children. Our parents were close friends and wonderful people. I remember they used to tell us stories about magical creatures to help us sleep..." He trailed off. "Anyway, at the orphanage they thought we were brothers so luckily they allowed us to stay together. One day a man from Europe adopted us. His name was-"

"Malik, please. Don't tell them that. Just skip to the next part of the story." Marik's voice shook as he spoke. Malik wrapped an arm around his waist before continuing the story.

"Anyway, we ended up running away from him. I was twelve when we ran away and Marik was fourteen. We lived on the streets for three years before we saw the Captain's ad for sailors. We decided to try our luck."

"Thats horrible guys." Jou said, "I remember the reason I joined this crew in the first place was to make something of my life. To be someone my mom and sister could be proud of. I don't know where I would be without them."

"Well we always had each other for comfort." Malik said, resting his head on Marik's shoulder.

"What about you, Yami?" Jou said, turning to the crimson eyed man.

"My story?" He swallowed nervously, "Well... I'm afraid it's really not that interesting... I actually grew up in a very normal family. The real problems were always between me and my brother. His name was Duke." Yami looked over to Bakura to gauge his reaction, he remembered that he had told Bakura his brother's name was Yugi. Bakura, who seemed like he hadn't been listening at all, suddenly shot to attention.

"_You have a lot of explaining to do." _Bakura's eyes said to him.

Yami gave him his best, "_I promise I'll tell you later." _lookbefore continuing the story. The other's were completely oblivious to their exchange.

"Anyway, Duke was a couple years older than me. He was like the family prodigy. He was really successful in school and always got the girls." Yami said. "but then... something happened. He caught one of his girlfriends cheating on him. He was so astounded that someone would dare cheat on him, the great Duke, that they got into an argument. He ended up strangling her..."

"Wow really? He must have been some kind of psychopath." Marik said.

"Yea that means a lot coming from you." Jou said.

"_Anyway._" Yami said, interrupting them before they could start bickering. "The first thing he did when the investigations started was tell our parents that _I _was the one who killed her. They believed him." His voice choked a bit but he continued. "I ran away a day before the city guards were due to come to take me to trial. I'm technically a wanted man..." His bangs fell over his face, shadowing his crimson eyes.

"Oh God Yami, betrayed by someone in your own family?" Malik said. "It must have been hard for you."

"No harder than your guys' troubles... Besides, I have a new better family now..." he replied. Jou patted him on his back reassuringly.

They all turned and looked at Bakura.

"Well fluffy? What's your story?" Marik said.

"Marik be nice!" Malik reprimanded him, "We don't know what he's been through."

"And you never will!" Bakura spoke for the first time. They all stared at him shocked.

"Bakura, it really helps to talk about it..." Jou said.

"Yea I really feel a lot better now." Malik said.

Bakura looked around the circle. Yami gave him a reassuring nod.

"I suppose the hardships started when I was five," he fiddled with his hands in his lap as he talked. "There was a fire. Our whole house burned down. The acursed flames took the souls of my father and one of my sisters back to hell with them. They left my mother's broken and nearly useless and my other sisters missing. My mother was so burnt... and her lungs were so fucked up that she couldn't breathe properly ever again. I began having to steal to support us."

"When I was eight she died. I was so lost that for weeks I just sat alone. Eventually I was approached by a man. He said he would give me some food if I came with him. I told him I had no reason to eat. Then he told me he had someone who wanted to see me. He said that Anzu was with him. Anzu was the name of my sister whose body was never found after the fire. At first I didn't believe him, I couldn't but then... She was there... She was with him... I remember hugging her... Feeling how frail she was... She begged me to come with them. So I did."

"We lived with him for five years. I didn't really understand what was going on back then but now I do. He had us begging on the street for money which we never saw one cent of. Sometimes the other kids who were there with him would become horrificly mutilated for no apparent cause. Now I know that he scarred us on purpose so that people would pity us and give more money. I remember one day he called Anzu in to speak with him... Whenever he wanted to speak to a kid alone they always came back hurt. So I watched what happened from outside a window. H-He didn't just hurt her... I watched as the man raped my sister... And I did nothing to help. Once he was finished he told her she was getting too old and had outlived her usefulness. He slit her throat. And still I did nothing. Nothing but run away. As fast and as far as I could. God Damnit! I'm so sorry Anzu!" He threw his mug against the ship wall and it shattered violently. He fell to his knees, sobbing.

"Guys go." Yami said to others. "Now. Go somewhere, anywhere." the other three quickly filed out to give Bakura some space.

"Do you get it now Yami?" Bakura said through gritted teeth, "Why I'm such a horrible person? It's because I stand by and watch as everyone I love dies! I do nothing but fear for my _own _safety! And that's why I will never allow myself to care for another person again."

**[AN] whoa... thats an awfully dark chapter... little out of place huh?**

**Btw... I couldn't remember how to spell Duke and Serenity's Japanese names and my internet was out while I was writing this so I couldn't look them up *fail* I know Duke's is something like Ryoji or something I think but I don't even know what letter Serenity's starts with.**


	12. Chapter 12

"That's not true Bakura and you know it." Yami said.

"Yami you don't really know me. Sure occasionally you can recognize my thoughts and my opinions but you don't know what I really _feel_. What I feel deep inside of me."

"I suppose you're right Bakura, I don't know what you feel. But what I do know is that you dove into an ocean with forty foot swells to save me. And I also know you came back for me that day on the beach. You didn't abandon me."

"How do you know that?" Bakura said meeting his gaze. Yami realized that he was crying. This was the first time he'd ever seen Bakura cry.

Yami sighed. "That's not important. What do you say the two of us go for a swim? We'll continue talking on the way there."

"What about the Captain? We're supposed to be working right now." Bakura argued.

"Since when have you given a crap what the Captain thinks?" Yami said. "Hey Jou!" Yami called out to his friend.

"What's up? Is it ok to come back now?" He heard his friend respond.

"Bakura and I are going for a swim. If the Captain has a problem with it tell him he can go fuck himself." Yami heard a burst of laughter come from Jou.

"Will do Yami!"

The two didn't speak again until they had cleared the beach and were under the cover of the forest.

"So I'm finally going to get to see what you do at this beach huh? And all I had to do was have a mental break down? I'll have to remember that the next time I want you to tell me something."

"Bakura, I need you to swear that you won't talk about what we're going to see." Yami said seriously.

"Yami you're the only one in this crew that I don't consider murdering on a regular basis. Who would I want to tell your secret to?" He said.

"You know they care about you? They would be your friends if you let them."

"The number of friends I have is not exactly high on my list of priorities." Bakura said.

Yami sighed. "Bakura, why me? Why am I the only lucky one who gets to see the good side of you?"

"You're just dillusional... I have no good side. But if you really want to know, you remind me of my sister. She was always big into friendship. Always wanted me to make friends with the other kids. But I watched too many of them come and go to allow myself to get attached to them."

"The crew of this ship isn't going anywhere." Yami said before thinking, then he remembered he had asked Yugi to find a way to turn him into a mermaid. _Damn, hopefully he won't hold me to that! _

"We're getting close to the other side of the island." Bakura acknowledged, changing the subject.

"Yes, thats where we want to be." As they walked out from the cover of the jungle evening rays of sun hit their faces. _We're early. I said I'd be back to see him at night._

Yami walked out onto the beach and Bakura followed. His chocolate brown eyes never leaving Yami, as if he expected something miraculous to happen at any moment.

"Come," Yami said, directing him to the rocky outcrop where he sat the first night. He settled down like he had last night, resting his uninjured leg in the surf.

"That rocks wet Yami." Bakura said.

"Yea. It feels good." He patted the spot next to him.

"I don't know why I encourage you." Bakura whined before sitting down. He crossed his legs instead of putting them in the surf like Yami did.

"Because I'm so freakin adorable." Yami said. "Now shhhh..." He didn't want to spook the mermaid, if he was even around.

"Shh?" Bakura said. "I thought we were going swimming?"

"Maybe later..." Yami said.

"Well what are we doing then?" Bakura asked looking at him incredulously.

"We're waiting for someone..." Yami said.

"Would that someone be moi?" Yami heard a familiar voice join their conversation. Then a head popped out of the surf in front of them. Bakura jumped back in surprise. _If he's surprised now just wait until he sees the tail..._

"Yugi!" Yami exclaimed. It took all of his will power not to dive in and properly greet his love.

"Hi Yami." Yugi said, blushing slightly. The two stared lovingly at each other for a moment until Bakura interrupted.

"So _this _is what you've been up to." He said. "You two look almost identical..."

Yugi took his eyes reluctantly from Yami's and looked at Bakura for the first time. An odd look of recognition passed over his features. "What are you doing here?- I mean- uh..." He looked Bakura up and down again. "Oh I am sorry." he apologized. "You just reminded me of someone else... uh Hi" he said shyly.

Bakura grunted in afirmation of his greeting. "You're the one who saved my best friend's life?"

Yugi nodded slightly. _You don't know the half of it Bakura..._

Suddenly Bakura extended his hand to him. Yugi took it slowly and they shook hands. "Thank you." Bakura said, "I'd be pretty lonely without this oaf." Yugi nodded again.

"So is he a native to this island?" Bakura asked turning to look at Yami. Yami looked to Yugi, he didn't want to reveal his secret for him. It was his choice.

Yugi thought on it for a moment. "You can trust him Aibou." Yami said. Yugi nodded to Yami. Then pulled himself up on the rocks next to them, he was careful to keep the end of his tail wet so he didn't change.

"Oh my God! Yami!" Bakura said. He looked up and down the long tail in disbelief. "Yami he's a-a-a-"

"Mermaid. I've never seen you this shocked Bakura, I have to say it's kind of amusing." Bakura ignored his comment and reached out a tentative hand to stroke one of Yugi's purple scales. Yugi flinched at his touch but didn't back away. Yami was thrilled that the two people he cared about most had finally met.

"How long have you two been seeing each other?" Bakura asked.

"Five nights ago we met on this beach. Five nights ago I found the most beautiful thing in this world."

"You love him." Bakura said. It wasn't a question but Yami answered anyway.

"Yes. It was like you said. From the minute I saw him I knew that destiny intended for us to be together." Yugi's eyes sparkled at him.

"Glad I could be of assistance..." Bakura said. "I guess I'll leave you two alone now..." Bakura stood and started walking away.

"Wait Bakura come back!" Yami shouted after him, but the white-haired man paid him no heed. "Aibou," He said turning back to his love, "I can't leave him alone right now. He's had a hard day..."

"You don't have to say anything else." Yugi wrapped his arms around him and they shared a passionate kiss. Yami looked into his eyes and saw his own love reflected there, for tonight, that look would be enough.

"I love you Aibou." Yami said as he stood to go after Bakura.

"I love you too," Yugi replied, "But one thing, bring Bakura back with you tommorow."

"Why Aibou?" Yami asked.

"Just trust me."

"Always." And Yami chased after his friend.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning,

"What?" Bakura said, "You want me to go back with you tonight?"

"Yes, that's what I said isn't it?" Yami said.

"Believe it or not, watching you make out with a fish doesn't exactly sound like my idea of fun."

"Hey don't tell me about it. It was Yugi's idea." Yami said. _Trust me, I want the two of us to be alone too... And Bakura thought he was the selfish one._

"Really? 'Cause he seemed horrified of me last night."

"That's just how he is... He's shy..."

"Like a goldfish when you tap on their bowl?" Bakura said. He chuckled to himself.

"Uncalled for." Yami said, glaring at him.

"So the shrimp really wanted to see me again?"

"Am I ever going to be able to be around you again without the bad fish puns?" Yami said. "And yea, he said to bring you back. Would I lie to you?"

"Well, you do have one of the best pokerfaces I've ever seen, does that count?"

"What are you two doing!" It was the Captain. "Get out there and get something accomplished!"

That evening, Bakura and Yami left to go see Yugi as soon as possible.

When they reached the beach Yami was surprised to see Yugi waiting for him.

"Yami!" The mermaid called from surf. Yami could tell he was resisting running out of the water to hug him.

"Yugi! I missed you..." they joined him on the rocky outcrop. Yugi reached out of the water to kiss Yami. Yami pulled him out of the water and onto his lap, almost completely out of the water. Yugi wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Ahem." Bakura said, clearing his throat.

"Oh uh-" The two broke apart, Yugi blushed adorably. "I uh brought Bakura back like you said."

"Yes, I see that." Yugi said. His normally pale face was beginning to resemble the color of a tomato. "I uh... Have someone I wanted you to meet Bakura."

"What?"

"You can come out now!" Yugi called to the sea around them.

"Who is it-" Yami began, but he was cut off.

"Hi there!" A sweet voice said as a head poked out of the water around them. Yami started but this time Bakura didn't. He was completely transfixed. The head that had popped out of the water looked almost exactly like him. From the chocolate brown eyes all the way to the unruly white hair. "I'm Ryou." The newcomer said. He held out a hand to Bakura, who still sat there, dumbfounded. Yami elbowed him.

"Oh yes... I uh, I'm Bakura." He said, sounding uncharacteristicaly nervous. He still didn't shake Ryou's hand so the mermaid retracted it with a shrug.

"Bakura huh?" Ryou winked before diving under the water and popping up on the side of the outcrop. "Wanna go for a swim?" He said playfully.

"I uh- I don't really swim often, I'm not very good." Bakura said.

"Nonsense!" Ryou said, he grabbed Bakura's wrist and tugged him into the ocean before he could react.

Yami watched as his friend struggled in the water for a moment before his head came back above the surface.

"I'll get you for that!" Bakura said. He pounced at the spot where Ryou was but a second before he could grab him, the smaller of the two disolved into the water. A couple seconds later he popped up behind Bakura.

"Too slow." He said, sticking his tongue out at Bakura. Bakura tried to grab him again but to no avail. "Wanna try again?" Ryou taunted. Bakura fell for it and missed again. "You know, the dictionary definiton for the word 'insanity' is attempting the same thing multiple times and expecting a different result."

"Well then, just call me crazy." Bakura said, finally accepting defeat. Yami watched as a smile grew on his friends face that he'd never seen before. Bakura looked legitimately happy.

"No that's a silly name." Ryou said, "How about 'Kura? That's cute!"

"Don't you dare!" Bakura said.

"Come on 'Kura, isn't the name _cute_." Yami taunted.

"I will strangle you in your sleep." Bakura said. Ryou giggled.

"Come on!" The chocolate eyed mermaid said excitedly, "I'll show you what _real _swimming is like!" He wrapped his arms around Bakura and started swimming off.

"Remember to let him have air!" Yugi shouted after him. Yami laughed and Yugi looked blushed out of guilt.

"Don't worry! He'll be fine." Ryou shouted back at them.

"So," Yami said turning his attention back to his own mermaid, who was still sitting in his lap. "Where were we?"

A few hours later Yami and Yugi were lying together on the beach. They hadn't seen or heard anything from Bakura and Ryou since the two left. Yami wasn't worried. If Yugi trusted Ryou then he did too.

The two had been silent for a while. Suddenly a song came to Yami, he started singing.

"Every little beat within my heart, is still beating for us. Every little piece of my heart is still longing for us. I am not strong enough, I know. I cannot ever let you go. Within my heart. Within my heart..."

Yugi sighed in his arms.

"Aibou?"

"You may not have a choice." he said.

"What?"

"You may have to let me go." His amethyst eyes clouded with sadness.

"No Yugi. We'll find a way. Did you search for a way to turn humans into mermaids?"

"It's impossible." Yugi said too quickly. Yami noticed his eyes do the same thing from the night before. _He's lying... _Yami thought. _I thought he loved me? Doesn't he want to be with me?_

He decided he didn't want to fight with the mermaid. "Well if you say so."

"I'm sorry Yami..." The smaller buried his head in Yami's chest.

"Maybe there's another way. I could quit the crew and just live on this island."

"What? How could that work?"

"Well we couldn't be together all the time... You could visit me whenever you were done doing mermaid things."

"I don't think you understand Yami... I don't _live _here. In this bay."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked.

"Mermaids are nomadic. We follow the deep sea currents. I go wherever the ocean wants me to go."

"What!" Yami exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-I thought you knew." Yugi said, startled by his sudden anger.

"When do you leave next?"

"I-I don't know. We never do. We just know when it is time to leave and when it isn't."

"Y-Yugi..." Yami could feel warm tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "Why did destiny bring us together just to rip us apart!" _The storm and ocean currents just happened to conincide well enough to completely ruin my life... _The tears spilled over.

"Yami please. Please don't cry." Yami could see Yugi was crying too. "I've tried not to think about it... Just hope that something would happen so we didn't have to- didn't have to- Waaaah!" He was cut off by his own wail of sadness.

Yami pulled Yugi as close as physically possible. He managed to stop his own sobbing but Yugi's continued. Other than the constant crash of the surf on the beach it was the only sound that night. It was positively heartbreaking.

"I'm sorry for making you cry." He kissed Yugi on the forehead.

Yugi said nothing. If anything his crying grew louder.

"I'm not giving up on us Aibou. There has to be a way. I love you."

Yugi tried to reply through his sobs but it didn't come out. Yami knew he tried to say that he loved him too.

_I'll be strong for you Yugi. I'll keep you safe... _He drifted into sleep.

**[AN] how can a chapter be so happy and then so sad so quickly? :[**

**song is Within My Heart- Dead by April**


	14. Chapter 14

The sound of the seagulls woke him up the next morning. He was alone.

He was surprised to find himself fully clothed._ Did Yugi dress me before he left this morning? How did he do it without waking me up? _When he sat up he felt an object in his pocket. He reached into it and pulled something out. He opened his palm and saw it was a seashell. A heart shaped seashell. Yugi's way of telling him he wasn't giving up either...

Yami held the shell close to his heart. "I love you..." he whispered to the air around him. In response a loud wave crashed on the beach that reached all the way to his toes.

Suddenly he realized how late in the day it was. The sun was almost half way through the sky. He jumped and started sprinting toward the trees when he tripped over something. He almost fell flat on his face but managed to stay standing.

"Wha? What huh?" said the thing he tripped over. _Bakura!_ In his surprise the white haired man sat straight up and opened a hand that had been closed in a fist. Yami noticed something fly out of his hand and he snatched it out of the air. It was another shell. Much like his own.

"Bakura!" Yami shouted at him.

"What huh? Yami where are we?"

"About three quarters of a mile form where we _should _be." He hissed back. He yanked Bakura to his feet. "Come on!"

"Ok I'm coming..."

"Here you may want this." Yami said, placing the shell in his hand.

Bakura stared at it for a moment. "So I suppose this means I can't make bad fish jokes anymore?" he asked. Yami just smiled at him.

"Ah!" Yami heard the Captain say as they reached the other side of the island. "I don't know where you two come off being this late for attention!" He glared at them with his icy blue eyes.

"I'm sorry sir!" Yami apologized. _Damn I forgot to think of an excuse on the way over! What am I going to tell him?_

"You missed it. I had some very important news this morning." _Thank God, _Yami thought, _He's too concerned with his own news to care where we were. _"With how well the repairs have been going we should be able to leave in only about three more days!"

Bakura and Yami just stared at him. Yami had to fight to keep himself from screaming out in anger. Clearly this was not the response the Captain had been expecting.

"What's wrong with you two? This is a good thing!" He said.

"Yea uh, woohoo." Bakura said. "I think we're just tired. We'll uh go to work now." Bakura grabbed Yami by the arm and led him over to a row boat.

_Only three more days? _Yami thought, _Thats all I have? _He almost started crying again right there.

Work was of course torturous that day. Yami couldn't help but 'accidently' make a few holes with a hammer in places they had already repaired, meaning they had to be redone. He just wished he had talked to Bakura about it before hand because the white haired man had done the same. Together they had ruined about a whole day's worth of work. The others were not happy to say the least.

"I don't know what was up wit you two today." Jou said on the boat ride back. "It was like we gave hammers to a pair of gorillas."

Yami didn't respond. He thought that Bakura grunted but he wasn't sure.

"Only three more days..." Bakura said as the two walked to the beach, though calling it walking was a stretch, they were as close to running as they could be without arousing suspiscion. "Yami, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know Bakura I just don't know."

"Well if you don't know then who should?" Bakura shouted at him. "You're the one who's supposed to have the answers here!"

"Don't you think I'm upset too?" Yami replied quietly.

The two were silent for a moment.

"You were right about something Yami." Bakura said.

"Whats that?"

"I do have a good side. It's that mermaid. Ryou is the good in me."

"Bakura..."

"Please just listen." _Bakura knows the word 'please'? _"I don't feel angry when I'm with him. You'd be amazed how much we talked about last night... He knows everything about me and he didn't turn his back on me. He didn't run. I always thought that if I told someone about me that they would think I was a monster... I-I love him."

"I'm happy for you Bakura... They certainly are amazing creatures aren't they?"

When the two arrived at the beach that night they went to opposite sides to greet their loves. They were completely oblivious to the fact that they were being watched.

"What do you think they're doing here?" Malik asked.

"Beats me. You think they just like to watch the sunset?" Marik replied.

"That wouldn't keep them out until noon today..." Malik said.

"Good point, do you think they-" Marik stopped midsentence. He watched in startled silence as two people who almost looked like reflections of his friends greeted Yami and Bakura. Then he gasped. The two swimmers had _tails_. Like _fish_.

"Marik do you see...?"

"Yea..."

"What do you think they are?"

"Oh my God. Malik, I think they're sirens! Look! The one with Yami right now is singing!"

"No way! Marik do you remember the stories our parents used to tell us about sirens?"

"Yea! I can't believe they're real! This explains why they were so distracted!"

"Marik we have to do something! No fish are gonna go chompin on our friends!"

"Definitely! They're just lucky we found out before it was too late!"


	15. Chapter 15

Bakura and Yami had been careful to return to the tent before dawn this time. The others had all been asleep. They got into their beds and pretended to do the same. Yami thought of a song Yugi had sung to him earlier that night.

"What if I told you there is no tommorow, if I told you, I just can't hold on? What if you watched me walk away by tommorow? If I told you, tommorow I'll be gone?"

This had made them both cry buckets again.

Yami had asked him why he would sing such a sad song. Yugi said it was his way of trying to explain the truth to himself. They didn't make love that night. Just held each other and sang different songs. Some happy some sad, but all of them _real. _

Yami closed his eyes. He figured that he would be awakened as soon as everyone else got up.

He was wrong.

When Yami opened his eyes midday sun was peeking through the tent. He shook Bakura awake next to him.

"Bakura! We overslept again!"

Bakura groaned and opened his eyes. "We better be careful, or someone besides Jou might have to swab the deck."

The two left the tent to find themselves completely alone. The Captain's tent was closed up, meaning he wasn't in it. Jou, Malik, and Marik were nowhere to be seen.

"Do you think they're out at the ship?" Yami asked.

"You think the Captain would be anywhere near a place where _work _was being done? Ha." He replied.

"Good point."

"Oh there you guys are!" It was Jou. He was running down the beach to meet them. "You two need to get out to the ship. There's some _weird _stuff goin on man!"

"Weird? Weird how?" Yami asked.

"You gotta see it for yourself! It's incredible! I almost didn't believe it!" Jou walked off, continuing whatever he had come back to the beach to do.

"Bakura do you think...?"

"I pray to God no..."

The first thing they saw when they climbed onboard was Marik talking with The Captain. They were using a lot of crazy hand movements. It must have been quite the conversation. But then... Then they saw the tanks. Two of them, made of glass. About six feet long, four feet wide, and four feet high. And each of them contained a mermaid. Both looked completely horrified.

"What have you done you bastard?" Bakura said, as he jumped up on deck. Yami rushed over to the tank that contained Yugi. He raised a hand to glass which Yugi returned from the other side. His amethyst eyes lost some of their terror when they saw him. But not all.

"Yami get away from there!" It was Malik, he was pointing a knife at him. _Wait, No. Not me, Yugi. He's pointing a knife at Yugi._ _Does the fool have a deathwish? _A voice that sounded nothing like Yami's echoed through his mind. He shook his head to calm himself. He couldn't get angry, that would only make the situation worse.

"Malik what have you done?" Yami pleaded, "Please you have to let them go! You're scaring them!"

"See Captain!" Marik said, "They've bewitched them! The mutants probably planned on eating them as soon as they got bored with their new play toys." Ryou started pounding angrily on the glass. He looked to Bakura and shook his head fiercely. Bakura mouthed the words 'I know you wouldn't hurt me' to him before turning his attention back to Marik.

"You're crazy Marik!" Bakura said. He started advancing on the Egyptian.

"Captain, I need you to hold him! Malik you too! I'm going to end this!" he started walking towards Ryou's tank. Yami jumped to his feet and ran over to help Bakura.

"NO! Yami stop him! Leave me! Stop Marik!" Bakura screamed.

_Wait, what was Marik going to do? _Yami thought. He spun back around and saw Marik holding Ryou out of the tank by his hair. He pulled a knife from his pocket-

"I love you Bakura!" Ryou's voice was thick with desperation, "I'm glad I got to meet you-"

"NO!" Three voices, Yugi's, Yami's and Bakura's all cried out simultaneously.

It did nothing. Marik slit Ryou's throat and dark red blood flowed from the wound. It filled the tank tainting the once pure water within it. Yami watched as the white-haired mermaid's body fell to the bottom of the tank, lifeless. He noticed that in Ryou's last seconds of life he had been staring at Yami. Not Bakura, his lover, or Yugi his best friend. _Is he upset because I didn't save him? Oh God Ryou I'm so sorry... _Suddenly he was brought back to reality by Bakura's exclamation of rage.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Bakura screamed as he ripped his arms out of the Captain and Malik's grasp. He ran over and tackled Marik to the ground and started beating the life out of him.

"Malik!" Marik managed to get out around Bakura's fist, "Kill the other one!"

"Never!" Yami exclaimed. He shoved Malik into the Captain, knocking them both onto the deck. Then he ran over to Yugi's tank. He was screaming and wailing over the loss of his friend. He was so distressed that Yami wondered if he had even heard that Marik had just ordered his death. Yami grabbed him out of the tank and held him bridal style. He squirmed and struggled.

"NO! NO lemme go! Ryou!" He wailed.

"Yugi! Yugi it's me!" He seemed to see Yami for the first time. "You need to get out of here!" He walked over to the side of the ship and was about to throw Yugi over.

"No Yami I can't leave! Not without Ryou!"

"He's dead Yugi. I'm so sorry."

"NO!" He wailed again. He started struggling against Yami again. Yami threw him over the side before he could get out of his arms. The mermaid seemed stunned when he first hit the water but soon he was swimming away from the ship as fast as possible.

"Yugi! Wait for me at the beach! Please! I'll come find you!" Yugi didn't look back. Yami wasn't even sure if he'd heard him.

He turned around to where Bakura was still mercilessly beating the shit out of Marik. The white haired man had him by his shirt and was holding him up. Malik tried to grab his arm to stop him but Bakura knocked him aside. The smaller Egyptian fell to the ground, he sat there with a horrified expression, unable to help his love.

"I don't understand." Marik managed to get out. He sounded dizzy and close to unconciousness. "We killed the siren, it should have broken the spell..."

"IT WASN'T A SIREN YOU FUCKING IDIOT! HE WAS A MERMAID!" He punched Marik again, hard. Marik fell into unconciousness.

"Bakura stop!" Yami exclaimed. He and the Captain tried to stop him but they met the same fate as Malik. He was unmercifully strong. Yami was getting to his feet to try to reason with him again when he saw Bakura reach for the dagger.

"No Bakura! Don't do it!"

"Ryou's death will not go unrequited Yami! Two will die today!" he exclaimed. Bakura threw Marik to the ground and stood over him. He brought the blade down straight into Marik's heart. More blood rushed out around the shiny object. Yami heard a desperate gasp from Malik.

Bakura stood and surveyed the damage he'd done. Suddenly he shook himself and looked down at his hands. His brows furrowed in confusion at the blood he saw there. Then he looked over to where Yami, Malik and the Captain were sitting. Yami shook his head at him in disbelief. Bakura ran. He jumped over the side of the boat into a life boat and no one stopped him. Once the threat was gone Malik ran over to Marik.

"Marik no! Please it can't end this way!" Malik burried his face in his hands and sobbed.

"Malik?" Marik said, somehow he regained conciousness, "I'm not going to be ok am I?" He asked.

"No you'll be fine Marik! Everything's going to be ok!"

Marik let out a humorless chuckle, "Thank you Malik. I love you with all my heart. Tell Bakura-" He was cut off by a bought of coughing. "Tell Bakura that I forgive him. I always did think of him as a friend."

"No Marik! I love you! You can't leave!"

"I love you too Malik, you are my light. I love you t-" His words stopped there and his eyes lost focus. He let out his final breath.

Yami looked away, fighting back his own tears. He was unable to bear anymore sadness. Malik wailed helplessly behind him.

**[AN] song is Painting Shadows- Dead by April**


	16. Chapter 16

The sevices were short.

They had released Marik's soul as the Egyptian's ancestors had. They put his body on a boat and pushed it out into the sea. From the shore Malik shot a flaming arrow into the boat, they all watched it burn in silence. Bakura stood far away from Malik.

It may have seemed like a gory funeral to an ignorant observer but Malik actually really liked the method. He said that it allowed Marik's soul to be released along with the smoke and his body would be left to the ocean he loved so much. The ocean that to him was freedom, freedom from all his troubles and fears.

They held Ryou's differently. Bakura didn't think it would be right to burn the body of a creature of the sea. Of course it was wrong too to bury it in the Earth. In the end they all just went out to the cape. Bakura held his love's body out over the water. When he lowered it down gently he was astonished when it dissolved into the ocean. The normally stoic man sobbed loudly. Everyone else left him to be alone. He stood on that cape clutching the seashell Ryou had given him for hours.

"I watched him die... I let it happen. It's all my fault." He muttered to himself.

Yami wished with all his heart that Yugi could have been at Ryou's funeral, but there was no way. He hadn't heard from Yugi since the event but he _had _been too nervous to go to the beach and look for him.

Ryou and Marik had died two days ago. Now it was night time and Yami had no excuse to _not _go look for Yugi.

When he arrived at the beach everything was silent. The whole world seemed to be mourning. The sea was calm and the wind nonexistant. Even the seagulls were quiet.

Yami settled down in his usual spot. _Well there's only one thing to do... _He thought. He closed his eyes and began to sing.

"If I had my way, I'd spend everyday right by your side. And if I could stop time, believe me I'd try for you and I. And each moment your gone, is a moment too long in my life. So stay right here right now."

"'Cause without you, I'm a disaster. And you're my ever after. 'Cause I need to know your answer. I want you to say you're gonna stay with me. I die every day that you're away from me."

"If the world ceased to spin, you could start it again with just one smile. And if the seas turned to sand, with the wave of your hand it would rain for miles. But the thought of you gone makes everything wrong in my life. So stay right here, right now."

"Cause without you I'm a disaster. And you're my ever after. 'Cause I need to know your answer. I want you to say you're gonna stay with me. I die every day that you're away from me."

"My heart breaks with every beat. I can't explain what you do to me. So just say you'll promise me. Please take me if you ever leave. But the thought of you gone makes everything wrong in my life. So stay right here right now."

"Cause without you I'm a disaster. And you're my ever after. 'Cause I need to know your answer. I want you to say you're gonna stay with me. I die every day that you're away from me."

"So just say, you'll promise me. Please take me if you ever leave. My heart breaks with every beat. I die every day that you're away from me."

"I wish you would have picked a happy song. I could use some cheering up."

"_Yugi!_" Yami said happily. He opened his eyes and sure enough, the purple eyed mermaid was watching, much like he had the first night they met on this beach.

Yami reached forward to hug Yugi but the mermaid swam backward, avoiding him.

"No Yami, not yet..." He said.

"Why Aibou? I missed you so much!" He said perplexed. "I thought you might have left already."

"Have you gotten wet since Ryou died?" He asked.

"Uh no? Not that I remember? Can I hug you now?" He said. _What an odd question._

"No. Not yet. You can't get wet yet." The mermaid's eyes clouded and he rubbed his forehead, deep in thought.

"Yugi? Didn't you miss me?"

"Of course I did! Don't be silly." he snapped back.

"Then why can't I touch you? Do you even care about me? I know you lied to me about it being impossible to turn me into a mermaid." _Oops there I go being irrational again... _He mentally facepalmed.

"My God Yami! And I thought you were smart!" Yugi sighed. "You can't get wet because I'm nervous. Like you already know, there is a way to turn humans into mermaids. But to do it a mermaid has to die."

"What?" Yami exclaimed.

"Normally mermaids are simply born from mermaid parents. But... when a mermaid dies they can choose to give their _gift _to someone else. I'm hoping that Ryou chose you." Yami remembered that Ryou had been staring at him when he died.

"I-I think he might have Yugi..." _Oh God... If Ryou used his dying moments to give Yugi and me eternal happiness I will be forever in his debt._

"But what if he _didn't._" Yami saw Yugi's eyes clouding with tears.

"It's destiny Yugi. Believe in destiny. It's taken care of us so far." He was about to jump in the water when he heard someone behind him.

"You're just gonna leave without sayin goodbye?" Jou. And everyone else. They were all on the beach.

"Guys!" Yami exclaimed. He walked over to them. "What are you doing here?"

"Saying goodbye to you, apparently." The Captain said.

Yami could feel tears forming in his eyes. This might be the last time he saw any of them. He walked up to the Captain.

"Thank you sir. For allowing me to come on this adventure." He said.

"Don't call me sir." The Captain said. "Call me Seto." Yami noticed Jou smiling happily from where he was standing, noticeably close to the Cap- Seto.

"Ok Seto. Who knows? Maybe destiny will bring us together again some day." Yami said.

"I don't believe in destiny Yami. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. If this is the fate that your choosing then I'm happy for you. Maybe we will choose to meet up again in the future." Seto smiled. It looked odd and out of place on his normally emotionless face.

"Let's just agree to disagree." He said. Yami held out a hand to Seto who shook it powerfully. He turned to Jou.

"Hey man." Jou said through snivles. "So I guess this is good bye?"

"Yea I suppose. Will you take good care of the family?" Yami said.

"Of course. I've got some friends in Tortuga who've been wanting to join this crew for years. We'll probably have even more people than we used to in a few days."

"Thats great!" He held up a hand which Jou highfived. "Keep the family together for me."

Malik was next.

"I'm so sorry for everything that happened Malik..."

"Don't be!" The Egyptian's lillac eyes seemed unusually bright, "He's waiting for me. I know he is. I'll see him again eventually just like I'll see you again. For now we should all just live our lives without regrets."

"You're such a wonderful person Malik..." Yami hugged him tightly.

Bakura was the only one left.

Yami walked up to him.

"Hey." He said.

"Hi." Bakura said. The two men said nothing more, just embraced tightly. There was nothing else that needed to be said. They would see one another again. They both knew it deep down.

When Yami stepped back from his friend he noticed tears coming from his chocolate eyes. This was still only the second time Yami had seen him cry.

"Bakura I'm sorry for leaving I know I promised that I wouldn't..."

"Yami don't be sorry. If that was Ryou waiting for me in the water I would have been gone already."

"I'll take care of him." Malik said. Yami looked at him and the Egyptian nodded.

Yami sighed and walked back to the water. It was then that he realized he still didn't even know if this was going to work... _It has to work... _he thought. Yugi nodded reassuringly at him from the surf.

He stripped off his clothes and luckily his friends seemed sad enough about him leaving that they didn't make any jokes. Then he dove in.

Normalty. Yami became nervous. It felt normal. But then... he felt something. His legs were being pushed together.

"Yes! Yami I think it's working!" Yugi said, under the water. And Yami could understand him!

Suddenly dark crimson scales started peeking out of his legs. It didn't hurt. But it did tickle. Yami started laughing under the water and was amazed that he could breathe! He watched as his feet grew together and stretched out into a fin. He flicked it expirementally and was amazed at the power it had. He used his new tail and swam deep down to the bottom of the pool then launched himself out of the water almost five feet. His crimson scales sparkled in the moonlight.

"Keep watch for our sails!" He heard someone call from the beach.

"Always!" He yelled from the surf. _Thank you Ryou... I will never forget this._

Back on the beach the four sailors watched as Yami became nothing but a spec on the horizon.

"That... was the weirdest damn thing I've ever seen." Jou said.

Seto chuckled. "You said it... Come on" The blue eyed man took Jou by the hand and the two left to go back to camp, leaving Bakura and Malik alone on the beach.

"I don't know how you can even stand being within a five mile radius of me." Bakura said, not looking at the Egyptian.

"I've always been a forgiving person." Malik said. "Maybe I can help you to learn to be the same way."

"What?" Bakura said, turning to face him. "I'm not angry with anyone."

"I meant that maybe I can help you learn to forgive _yourself._" He said. Bakura smiled for the first time in three days.

Back in the ocean Yami and Yugi were swimming along side by side.

Then Yami stopped abruptly. He turned and looked at Yugi. "Aibou, it's time to go." Yugi smiled at him.

"You're right."

"What do we do?" He asked.

"Nothing. The ocean does all the work for us. We just leave."

Yami kissed him lightly but when he tried to break it off Yugi wrapped his arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Yami licked hungrily at his lip and Yugi opened his mouth. He searched all over it, dominating it, memorizing it. Yugi moaned. When the two broke up Yugi looked at him cutely.

"Hey Yami, do you wanna play a game?" He asked.

"Now? Sure!" Yami said.

"Okaaaay..." Yugi said. He suddenly reached out and tapped Yami on the shoulder, "Tag your it!" He swam away into the ocean current outside the bay. Yami dashed after him.

"Get back here!" He shouted playfully.

And the mermaids let the current take control. They had a whole ocean to explore. A whole life to live together. And nothing, destiny or otherwise would ever change that.

**[AN] Thanks for reading! **

**the song in this chapter was Without You-My Darkest Day.**

**If you liked it then please leave me a nice review! it would mean a lot.**


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